


Salvation

by OkinawaAngel



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Background Relationships, Background Slash, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Het and Slash, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2018-07-14 10:02:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 103,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7166633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OkinawaAngel/pseuds/OkinawaAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sally Jones had always looked up to the famous doctor, Angela Ziegler as well as the Overwatch leader, Jack Morrison. However, the treatment of a dying Gabriel Reyes at Mercy’s hands was the last straw and she leaves, unknowing that the victim was still alive... Will she be his next victim of revenge?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. House Call

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to post this after getting Overwatch. I love the lore of the game so this idea came to me fast. Please note, I am posting this on FFN as well but this version will be more explicit on certain chapters. Thank you and enjoy.
> 
> I do not own Overwatch, Battlenet, etc and so forth
> 
> P.S. Does anyone know a faster way to format a chapter in here? -.- Italics and paragraphs are a pain for some reason

When Sally woke up that morning, she knew something was going to change. Her waist length brown hair stuck to her as she was drenched in sweat and she frowned. _I have not had such a nightmare in years. Even after all the battles, the blood and the wounded in the infirmary..._ Glancing at her mirror and seeing her blue eyes stare back, she hardened her face in determination. The electricity that ran in her body seemed extra agitated. While some people would dismiss such signs, she knew better. All over the world years ago, accidents had been happening to give people powers or unusual abilities and the electricity in her body was no exception. The only shame is that it had to be at a facility her parents had owned. It had served her well at least in enhancing her neural network and the sensations she received but sometimes, that could prove disadvantageous.

The aftershock of the nightmare struck her again and she winced at the accompanying headache and the tremors that threatened to cripple her mind. Making a swift decision, it did not take long to call her staff of five over. Apprehensively, they surveyed their young mistress. Ever since her parents’ death because she was in Overwatch, the young madam was never the same. Rather than lashing out at Talon as many would suspect, she withdrew from the organization when she was able and just decided to avoid it. Surveying her staff, she grabbed their attention before quickly deciding to be as blunt as possible. “I’ve decided it would be safer if we all parted ways.”

There was a great deal of confused looks and gasps of surprise. “Miss Jones?”  


“Any dream jobs decided upon I will personally write letters of reference for and in addition to your monthly pay which I will pay out today, there will be $10,000 bonus for each year you were in service to my family.”  


“My lady!” Another one burst out in surprise. “What is going on? This offer is so generous but...”  


“You misunderstand. It is not an offer.” Gasps sounded as she turned her deep blue eyes on them. “I am terminating employment with each and every one of you.” She turned away for a second as their questioning stares made her uncomfortable. “As you all know... my parents were killed because of my involvement with Overwatch.” There was an uncomfortable quiet so she cleared her throat and decided to continue. “A week ago... I received a call about Overwatch members.”  


“Ma’am. Isn’t that supposed to be secret?” a maid asked tentatively.  


“I trust you all.” The simple words caused a few smiles despite the grim news. “If me telling you saves your lives, I don’t care. That organization has caused me nothing but pain. Nothing is more important than a life saved and what good is knowledge if I can’t save the people in front of me?”  


They all nodded. Knowing their mistress was a medic in the Omnic Crisis had instilled in all of them a great deal of care for their wellbeing. “When do we leave?”  


“Immediately.” She motioned towards the door gently. “Email me when you need recommendations or any other arrangements. The money should drop tomorrow morning.” 

She bowed gratefully to them and smiled. “Two hours please.”  


The servants scrambled quickly to gather their belongings and with a weary expression, Sally went back and settled into her room. Slumping into her bed, she felt tears. _Is Overwatch going to take everything from me... again? I finally set myself a new life and things want to fall apart again._ She let fatigue finally claim her however when she woke up, she noticed two things wrong.  


One was that despite the dark setting of her room, it hardly felt like any time had passed. Two, the barrel of a very customized looking shotgun was pointed right at her face from someone standing right above her on her bed. It was difficult for her to see but she noticed he seemed to blend in with the room. An all black ensemble it appeared. “This is unexpected.”  


“It is,” the grim, hissing voice intoned. “Except you sent everyone away. Permanently.”  


“Bad feeling is all,” she replied. Her eyes were starting to adjust and she could see slightly what she was looking at. There was a robe and hood that were black but the mask was white like bone. The sharp skull motif was slightly chilling but she swallowed the lump in her throat and continued. “I don’t want more people to die because of me.”  


“Noble,” the man deemed as he holstered the shotgun upon his back. She heard it clink, as if reuniting with another shotgun. “A wasted sentiment in this day and age.” The man sank down over her, pinning her down by sitting on her waist to stop her movement. “Do you know why I’m here?”  


“The call to Overwatch agents,” she said calmly. The man’s weight was firm and unyielding- so she did not dare to agitate him by moving around or being sarcastic. “Winston gave only a general note in the message.” She looked up at him curiously. “You received it too, didn’t you.”  


“Yes.” Reaper could not help but be impressed. Not many could stay calm in a situation like this.  


“I don’t remember you back then,” she continued. “As a medic, I saw most of the underlings since Mercy saw to anyone truly important. So either you were a really, really high ranking officer or you are someone else now.”  


Reaper smirked under his mask, both at her logic and at the venom when Mercy was mentioned. “And what if I said both?”  


“So you must be the one killing the others,” she finished grimly. “And is it my time?”  


He chuckled darkly and moved off of her before offering his hand. She took it tentatively and he pulled her to a sitting position. He moved away and quickly flipped on the lightswitch, allowing her visibility. She squinted slightly and blinked up at him in confusion. He sat on the edge of the bed, as if trying to minimize the chance of her perceiving him as a threat. “Not quite. You seem calm. Do you await Death?”  


“I don’t have much in life. Two of your idols betray your ideals, family is dead, feeling like my dreams didn’t matter to another doctor... I saw someone have to undergo a treatment that I’m certain killed them because it was what she deemed necessary.”  


Reaper thought on it and knew for certain this was the woman he was looking for. “What did he look like?”  


“He?” Sally blinked in confusion. _Did I mention that person was a male? I don’t think I did but..._  


“The person being forced to...”  


“He had short brownish hair. Kind of a bulky build. Muscular. I mean, if you’re in the military even in covert you have to have some strength and...” She looked up at him and gasped.  


"And?” Reaper smirked as he took off his mask and pushed back his hood. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”  


Physically he looked very similar to how she had seen him last but there was an unearthly paleness to his features. Some of his veins appeared to have a slight tinge of blackness but it did not detract from his appearance. Rather, it made him look striking and dangerous. “That doesn’t look healthy... But if you are him...”  


He gave a mocking bow. “Gabriel Reyes. In the flesh. But lately, I’ve been going by Reaper. And I still remember you, little medic. Miss Sally Jones.”  


She felt like the air in her throat had gone stale in shock. “What do you want from me?”  


“For one... To thank you for attempting to stand up to your superior for my sake.” She blinked at him and felt guilt grip her. Afterwards, she did not know how to bring up the situation to Mercy without being angry and felt withdrawing entirely from the organization was for the best after she heard that Gabriel Reyes had died. “Also, you did try to honor me with at least a memorial...” He shrugged his shoulders. “I came across it when researching information on the few agents whose information I gathered. Overwatch has you under surveillance.”  


This was news to the young woman. “I’m going to kill that monkey.”  


He laughed slightly. There was still a slight hiss in his voice but it seemed good humored all the same. “I’ll convey your wishes when I accomplish it. But I did want to let you know...” He stood up from the edge of the bed. “I will not target you. You are noble enough to stand up against your mentor, your idol, and organization for a person you barely know... I respect that.” He looked at his hands. “I might be a highly functioning psychopath and murderer but the thought of slaughtering someone who was willing to do the right thing despite the odds that sickens me.”  


Sally felt like she was able to breathe. Air tasted sweet as she tried to process his words. “I...”  


“And now, I bid you good day. Good bye. Live your life well.”  


He started to swirl into darkness as he readjusted his hood and mask but her voice pierced the room. “Wait!”  


“Yes?” he hissed calmly to her.  


“It feels weird calling you Reaper so I just won’t. Gabriel,” she began tentatively as if testing his name. Seeing his posture was more curious than hostile, she continued. “If you need a place to rest... Recuperate... or even a person to talk to, feel free to come here. A house like this is lonely by oneself. It would be nice to have company.”  


He hummed slightly and nodded. “To think you would be willing to see Death so soon...”  


“You are just Gabriel Reyes to me. A victim of Overwatch and the injustices to medical practices.” She paused slightly then smiled. “And it looks like you need a friend.”  


This made him feel pain where his heart was. “I... Haven’t had one in a while. Would be terrible.”  


“Never too late to start,” she said as she smiled even brighter.  


He looked towards her and gave a nod of his head. “Friends...” He turned away finally and faded into swirling darkness. “Farewell.”


	2. Bugging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so... it begins! Thanks everyone for showing interest so far :)

After two months, Sally almost forgot about the meeting with the infamous Reaper. If it wasn't for her absence of servants, she would have had it completely out of her mind. The benefit was at least she could freely practice her usage of electricity without scrutiny or without fear of harming anyone. Before she feared for someone unknowingly walking in and thinking the worse or someone getting hurt by her actions. That was the last thing that she ever would want after the events at the Swiss headquarters. One benefit of her electricity was that she was starting to be able to project an electromagnetic field around an area. It thankfully was weak enough to not affect any of her electronics but strong enough to at least be there. This almost equated to something like echolocation for her as she could do without cameras now. That was how she knew that she had an unexpected visitor.

Walking into the main foyer of her house, she saw a little blur zipping back and forth, staring at the different frames she hung along the wall. All of them were papers Sally herself written about the usage of electricity in modern medicine. Sally had published some work to feel like she was contributing to society and to make a little money. It had felt wrong to just live off her parent's money, even if they rightfully left it to her. The dashing person stopped at a statue of a light bulb made of marble and was about to touch it when she noticed Sally staring at her with a raised eyebrow. "There you are, Sally."

Sally felt some annoyance at the overly familiar greeting. She knew of the little speedster pilot who had visited Mercy but never directly interacted with her besides a polite greeting in the past. "May I help you?"

"Pardon?" Tracer replied, shocked. She was not used to this kind of response.

"You are in my house like it is a public museum," Sally deadpanned as she allowed electricity to spark between her fingers threateningly. The zapping sound made Tracer's ears perk curiously. "If you needed to speak with me for some reason, you could have used the doorbell like a normal person. Manners are important, Tracer."

"Sorry about that, luv. Just that Winston wanted to make sure you're alright and..."

"Are you the surveillance he has on me?" Sally cut her off quickly. "I know I was being watched and if it is you, stop it. It's rude and invasive."

"But you don't understand!" she exclaimed in a rather alarmed tone. _This is not how Mercy said it would go at all!_ "Overwatch agents have been getting gradually targeted over the years by mercenaries but recently some information was stolen. You are one of the identified on that list."

"Oh?" Sally responded as she went over to the marble light bulb. Allowing her electricity to travel from her palm across the marble surface caused it to open to reveal a single gun. It was a Desert Eagle that she had kept on her from when she was in Overwatch. She reached for it and almost sighed in relief as the comforting weight sat in her hand. "Let them come."

"We don't want you to bloody die," Tracer finally burst out as she was at her wit's end with the coldness being shown to her. "This really scary guy who has been killing agents is at it and he is pretty much on par with Winston. See, I even have a picture the security cameras caught!"

She walked over, making sure to clutch the gun in her hand and stared down at the picture. It was a rather interesting picture of Reaper, clutching both of his shotguns. One of them was aimed at someone out of the frame. Likely Winston. The photograph was rather bright or at least the area it was taken in was. It seemed like he was mid-shot and his pose was rather aggressive. "What's with the crossover between Hot Topic and Spencer's?" _Gabriel would kill me for making the comparison._

"What?" Tracer blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Nevermind," Sally said dismissively in amusement. "Look, I have nothing to live for. No family and no real dream in life anymore. Overwatch took a lot away from me so why go back?"

"Because others need your help!" Tracer was becoming fed up with the medic. "Mercy said you were a great medic and there are so many that need your help and...!"

" _Mercy_ ," Sally hissed darkly. "Knows nothing. Mercy can go fuck herself with her own staff for all I care. That woman doesn't know the meaning of her codename."

"And what of yours, _Salvation_?" Tracer responded snarkily but was rewarded with the sound of electricity zinging through Sally's gun.

"I believe it is time for you to leave," the medic grunted as she aimed the gun towards Tracer. "Tell Winston to forget about bringing me over and Mercy needs to get over herself. I owe that woman nothing."

Tracer put her arms up in a non-threatening manner and chuckled nervously. "Well... ta ta for now," she chirped before zipping out of the medic's house.

Rolling her eyes, Sally felt around with her electricity before smiling as she felt Tracer leave her property. Holstering her gun to her hip, she closed her statue and sighed. Letting out a burst of sparks caused a few things in the room to fizzle out. Chunks of metal fell from the frames and from the ceiling where Tracer had tried to bug her house. "I swear the next one who comes along..." She huffed and scowled as she saw the time. "And I'm almost late for my flight too!"

Sally had a lecture scheduled on a university campus in New Mexico in a couple days. Due to scheduling issues, she had to arrive a week early but it would be a fun trip. She was very happy to speak with the students and even held scholarships for any who caught her attention. She put Overwatch out of her mind and happily raced to her room to grab her luggage. "So much to do..."

She hummed happily during her taxi ride and even the normal act of taking an airplane was proving relaxing. Even waiting in line for her baggage check was rather amusing in light of the chaotic last months. That is, until she overheard a television displaying news. "In this latest report, word has it is that Overwatch is being initialized!" She paused to look up at the monitor. Most people were passing by without a single glance. "This reporter would like to remind others that Overwatch may have had a noble past but now they are glorified vigilantes who are more akin to terrorists in how they have disregarded many sovereign laws and liberties. Property damage and loss of life are only some of what has happened."

_So quick to forget the toll from the Omnic Crisis_ , Sally thought sadly. _I don't regret the work I did but rather, what I couldn't do..._ She felt a tear go down her face and quickly wiped it away. _But I can't bring it in myself to ever be a part of it. Never again._ Thankfully the rest of the check in and boarding was painless and once on the plane, she quickly slipped on headphones and went to sleep. Waking up felt rather refreshing despite having to be shaken awake by a flight attendant.

"I'm sorry how hard I had to shake you miss. You seemed to have been having a really bad nightmare and..."

"No worries." She blinked in confusion despite the reassuring smile she attempted. Thankfully the service worker bought it hook-line-and-sinker. _Odd. I remember the dream being actually relaxing. Nothing unusual happened! Why would she...?_

She was walking away and grabbed her baggage. Flagging down a cab was pretty easy and she gave the university's address quickly. She barely heard the confirmation before sitting in the cab. She was about to doze off when the car went to a screeching halt. Glancing through the window, she frowned seeing she was in the middle of nowhere. "Excuse me but..."

"You die, Overwatch," a cold voice sounded as a gun was pulled out but a six shooter could be heard. The windshield shattered upon impact and the taxi driver turned assailant's brain splattered across the headrest.

Sally groaned as she wrenched her stuff out of the taxi and looked towards where the shots were from. A man in a poncho and cowboy hat smirked as he waved to her. The sunlight glinted off his BAMF belt buckle and she just wanted to beat the man with it. _I can't escape these fucking people. I should have had Reaper kill me._


	3. Final Warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When enough is enough...

Sally was beyond annoyed as the former outlaw escorted her to her hotel and out of the wasteland. As irate as she was with Overwatch, she was glad she at least was alive and not dead to Talon. Going on the airplane had caused her to not bring her firearm and using electricity when she was half asleep would not have been a great way to protect herself. "Can you wipe off the smug grin, McCree?"

He chuckled as he tilted his hat towards her. "It could be Jesse to you, missy."

She rolled her eyes as he carried her bag towards the room. _I was hoping that being preoccupied with the weight would at least stop his mouth._ "Out of all the places to run into you... Had to be here."

"I was finishing up a mission and happened to be nearby when I received a distress call. Apparently one of the stewardesses of a pilot that Tracer knew was found dead. She was on the flight you were on." He stroked his facial hair in interest. "Why would Talon agents follow you around?"

"Why are Overwatch agents following me around?" she fired back with weariness. "I just want to be a little, unimportant bystander." She opened her room door and led the pack mule in.

Jesse whistled as he looked at the room. "I knew they said you were loaded but..."

"Born into money but I still work for it. It's why I'm in this damn state," she finished sharply. She flopped on the massive bed and sighed as she sank into the pillow top mattress. She did not relax long before Jesse tried to sit on the bed but she put her foot in the way, intercepting his rear as it tried to land. "No. You aren't getting anywhere near a bed or me. I know your reputation."

"Oh? He drawled before trying to smirk. "And what did you hear about me, darling?"

She rolled her eyes as she pushed with her foot, causing him to laugh as he stood back up properly. "So improper," she scolded slightly as she looked in her back for her agenda. She groaned as massaged her head. "One week in this hell."

"What makes this place hell? It's rather nice if I do say so myself," the former covert agent balked slightly.

"It's dry as hell and too hot," she grunted in irritation. "I can't imagine living here. Going to get this done and go home."

"Maybe I can watch over you then, darling?" he smiled winningly at the medic. She raised her eyebrow at him but did not outright rebuke him so he continued. "You don't have your weapons. But I do. And I'm intimidating." He stroked the gun at his hip happily. "Me being by your side is a giant _fuck off_ to any Talon agent."

"I'm not completely defenseless," she sneered as she felt electricity building in her fingertips.

"And what would you do if..." he yelped as she launched a spark ball towards him, zapping his stomach. "The hell is that?"

"What I can do." She let the ball of electricity reform in her hand then clenched her fist to absorb it back. "I haven't actually tried to use it against a person to harm them... Kinda goes against my morals. I use my electricity in my healing and medical procedures."

Vaguely the cowboy remembered Mercy mentioning something about how her apprentice seemed to have a way with machines when it came to her patients. Controlling electricity carefully might have contributed to that. "So you go zappy?"

She snorted at the simplistically. "Yes. Zappy." She shook her head and massaged her temples. _I can't imagine him and Gabriel in the same division together._ "So, you want to be my hired body guard for the week?"

He perked up happily. "I professionally think it's for the best ma'am."

Sally rolled her eyes despite the drawl. "The next Overwatch however that approaches me after the week I'm going to shoot. I'm really tired of coincidental shit meetings. I'm tired of hearing what _Mercy_ thinks and wants me to do. I'm tired of it all. Hell, actually, shouldn't have saved me. Dying at least would give me peace."

She did not expect Jesse to get angry and pin her against the bed. "Never let yourself give up on our life. Never."

Sally was taken aback by his action. Gone was the flirtation that the former outlaw wore around himself and rather, gruff concern and slight worrying anger. "Fine. I'll stay alive, McCree."

He gave a beaming smile and nodded. "Good girl."

"Now get the fuck off me or I'll roast your privates," she threatened darkly. Electricity arced across her face dangerously to accentuate her words.

The cowboy raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You wouldn't do that to someone like me."

His screams of pain were music to her ears as she allowed electricity to surge through her body. She chuckled as she shoved him off and trotted happily away. "Now then, listen up. I will pay you to be my guard while I'm here. Then we part ways. And I don't want to see anymore fucking Overwatch."

"Or you'll shoot them?" he winced as he gently touched his lower body. She did not have to use much power to make him yelp in pain. Turns out having a massive belt buckle and a partially mechanical body made teasing a person able to emit electricity a very bad idea. He definitely felt humbled at her smirk.

"Yes. I will shoot after this week. Now thankfully the lectures are not today. We need to get you something that does not blatantly scream outlaw cowboy trying to compensate."

"What?!"

While Sally Jones got to drag a grumbling Jesse McCree shopping, her home had an unexpected visitor. Reaper needed some downtime to recover from a rather annoying fight and decided to take up the medic on the offer extended. At first, he was shocked that she was not home as she was wealthy enough to not require work but a quick look not snooping through her office revealed her day planner had lectures for the whole week. "You stay busy," the murderer said approvingly as he decided to familiarize himself with the house. He even found a map detailing escape and emergency routes in and out of the house. Using those next time would make entering the house no issue as he would not be seen physically outside it anymore.

The part of him that still thought as a covert operations agent was approving of the house's layout. _Very defensive. Pantry storage is sufficient and normal escape routes accessible. With my... abilities there are even more._ He had entered all the rooms and took stock of which ones he liked. The master bedroom was of course Sally's and it would be beyond rude. His mother would have found a way from beyond the grave to kill him for the uncouth behavior if he ever dared.

Near the master bedroom however was another room however that caught his attention. All the rooms were minimally furnished. It was understandable since there was really no reason to when all the staff were gone but he still found it to his liking. It had a darker theme that felt reassuring. There were pictures of a winter tree being struck by lightning in a snowy landscape. The other wall had a simple picture of the night sky. The curtains were dark and thick to obscure the sun but quickly pushing them back briefly let him assess the strength of the glass and he smirked. The glass was bullet resistant but he noted a subtle switch on the side of the frame that would allow it to pop out for an easy escape. He glanced at the bed and deemed it acceptable. Thankfully it was not a four poster but rather, just a simple king sized bed with two pillows. The sheets were a crisp white and the clean feeling was reassuring.

He finally turned his attention to the television mounted on the wall and gave a low whistle. _Don't do anything by halves, do you?_ Carefully he turned it on and reclined on the bed. I'll ask if I can have this room... Before the electronic even got off of commercial break, he already was asleep.

When he woke up later however, he cursed loudly in Spanish. _That was disturbing. I don't even need to sleep... What is going wrong with me?_ Blinking, he looked at the television and his annoyance rose when he realized he had slept for two whole days. Scowling at the loss of time, he checked the secure cell phone he carried with him. Luckily it was not dead and turns out, no contact messages sent so he set the device to charge. Reaching for the remote, he was about to change the channel on the television when he saw something that made him stop.

Ongoing was a medical lecture but he normally did not care about that as he figured of course she would watch that in her own house. Rather, it turned out the presenter was Sally Jones herself. She was dressed in a sharp black suit and blazer. Reaper saw her move quickly on heels he was certain would be a death trap for most people as she animately spoke on her subject of expertise. A slight shine let him see a necklace she wore gleamed but he did not get a chance when his vision turned red as he saw who was to the side of the stage. _That ingrate..._

Jesse McCree expected to go through a lot more whiskey to make it through the woman's words. It was bad enough she stuffed him into a _suit_ and made him ditch both his hat and buckle in favor of neatly combed hair and a conservative belt. He tried to argue for the belt buckle but her look was so murderous he was expecting a bolt of lightning down his throat for his sass. She allowed him a flask of whiskey and if he could hold it, at the next lecture...

"What next lecture?" he spat out in shock.

She had rolled her eyes at him at the time. "I'm not spending a week just for one lecture. There are three total lectures spread over the week. Suck it up McCree or leave."

He chuckled as he sipped some whiskey at the memory. He was trying his hardest to understand the current subject matter. She was going on about the effects of electricity on the body then when she turned the conversation to those with mechanical body parts and prosthetics, he felt himself forced to at least try to pay attention to see what would be applicable to himself. He knew many doctors and those who specialized in mechanical prosthetics sometimes boasted their creations would not electrocute the owner but all it took was one small crack in the casing or a flaw and then electricity could exploit or weak the whole. He chuckled as he noticed though in the audience those who struggled to follow her prior topics all straightened in their chairs.

"Obviously such a device is difficult to implement for mass production at this moment. But in history, at the time, people had similar ideas towards other innovation. Once a process is made, it can be put into mass production then cheapened. It might take an upfront cost, but you cannot put a price on the human lives we could save, heal and even Omnics could reap the benefits." Sally paused as she took in the onlookers before smiling winningly at them. She bowed to the audience. "Thank you for attending this lecture! I hope to see you at the one on Tuesday about Electro-Therapy and Growth on Mechanical Prosthetics."

The standing ovation made her flush slightly and McCree could not help his smile as he held out the flask to the medic. She declined it with a pointed look. "It is your booze."

"And you drank it," she replied dryly as she reached for a nearby soda instead, swiftly cracking the can open. She was swiftly through half the can in an instant.

"Don't tell me you believe in cooties or something like that."

"I'm not interested in sharing a drink with you in any form, McCree," she responded dryly. She crushed the can in her hand as she motioned for him to follow her. "Let's go. I would like to sleep."

McCree blinked as he looked outside. "It is barely 6:00pm."

"And my body is tired. The electricity running through my body makes it difficult to relax and right now, I feel relaxed enough to try to sleep."

The cowboy nodded as he gave her a worried look. "Will you even be able to wake up for the lecture?"

"Yes," she said as she set an alarm on her phone. "Most I slept was only 30 hours one time."

"30... hours," he deadpanned. "Only."

"Yeah."

Thankfully the rest of the week was more eventful for the pair as he would escort her to and from the university then they would eat and as his _employer_ , she would pay for the lunch and dinner. Jesse did not mind the expensive alcohol either that she had stocked up on despite not drinking any herself. She even revealed that she could burn the alcohol out of her body but the inebriation was still present and such, she just chose not to partake due to the dangers of Talon ( _and Overwatch_ ).

Before the duo knew it, the week was over and he drove her to the airport. Parking, he even dutifully was carrying her bag. "It will be quiet without you," Sally commented as she retrieved her boarding pass.

"That sounds like you miss me already, darling," Jesse replied teasingly.

A vein pulsed on her head. "One more fucking flirtation..."

He laughed and held his hands up as if innocent. After her lectures, he really had no desire to test how dangerous electricity could be when she really meant it. Especially when his belt buckle was right next to something he very much would like to protect. "I'll be good, I promise."

She softened her expression and close her eyes for a second. "Here you go," he chirped on receiving an envelope from her suit pocket. "And if I see another Overwatch agent..."

"I'll let them know, girly. But they might not listen to me," the former outlaw shot back before she smirked and boarded her plane. He carefully opened the envelope and his eyes bugged out seeing what was inside. While they never specified upon exactly how much money she was going to pay him (and he personally was fine without it considering all the fine booze he consumed on her tab), the amount in his hand was pretty staggering. "Must be a few hundred a day in here," he mused before slipping it carefully in his pocket. _I'll count that somewhere safe... Does she just throw around money just to do it? If I was that loaded... Well, I should call Winston. I really hope they didn't just send someone over assuming all would be well._

The rich woman in question was just happy to slump into the airplane seat and declined the wine they tried to give her. As much as she tolerated first class, she did not enjoy how they seemed a bit overeager to liquor you up for tips or other things. She had heard from her father, in a very bitter way, how it just took a few drops for you to spill all your mistakes and have a lawsuit on your hands. Thankfully, the flight was uneventful and upon being dropped off by the taxi to her house, she was happily listening to her iPod loudly.

The advantage of her power at least she could carefully charge her appliances as long as she did it carefully and she was relieved to hear some music. The loud tones overrode her humming, which was already enough to capture Reaper's attention. _I'm guessing she's back..._ he thought as he stepped out of the shower he had commandeered.

Sally was confused when she saw one of the doors was opened. _Huh. Thought I closed that._ Unfortunately for her, the loud music was disrupting her ability to use electricity to search her surroundings so when she found nothing, she decided to head up herself. Reaper barely had grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist when she had stepped into the bedroom. At first, she was startled by a stranger in her home to the point that her right hand started glowing a white-blue but then relaxed when she realized who it was. "Gabriel?" she gasped in disbelief.

He gave a half-hearted wave as he tried not to look at her. He had lived quite a soldier's life but he still was not a fan of a woman seeing him so vulnerable looking. Especially with his body as is. His pale body was accentuated by black veins every so often and even parts looked gray along his chest, like the skin was not sure if it was alive or not. "In the flesh," he joked before motioning to the towel. "May I have a few moments? I just got out of the shower."

"Oh! Apologies," she said before swiftly exiting the door and pulling it shut. "Meet me in my room when ready. I have to unpack anyway." She practically dashed off and flushed slightly. She had seen a lot of bodies during her time with and after Overwatch but despite the scars, Gabriel Reyes was built very nicely. If that was what his body was like on his death, then he relatively would be the age physically that he died at and so would his cells. _I wonder if it's the result of that secret program. This requires study._ Finally in her room, she felt her heartbeat accelerate and frowned. _Why is my body doing this? I haven't thought about anyone this way until... No! I refuse!_ She shook her head and swallowed heavily before heading into her room.

Reaper meanwhile chuckled as he opened up the drawers where he had deposited his trademark clothing. He did not need covert ops training to see how carefully Sally was accessing his body with her eyes. She may not have flushed like a high school girl but he saw how her vision lingered on him with something a bit stronger than professional curiosity. Other than the scarring and side effects of whatever his condition is, he knew physically he was still roughly the age he died at almost fifty five but the Soldier Enhancement program that he and Jack had undergone had slowed their aging significantly and kept a lot more muscle mass than was normal. He then contemplated something as he put on his gloves. _How old is she? She looks roughly the same as she did back then._

Putting on his mask, he slid into his wraith form easily and slinked over to her door. Being polite, he gave a single knock. She opened the door and allowed him in. He noted she had changed from the suit she was sharing to a knee length skirt and a t-shirt. He approved of the black and thought it became her. "Gabriel. I'm glad you are well. He cleared his throat then she hummed in correction. "At least, unharmed...? Ish?"

"Nothing unusual I cannot recover from normally," he decided diplomatically. "I was too busy dealing death."

She did not know what to say about that. _Well, I knew he was a murderer before I offered him a safe haven. What am I willing to excuse from him because of Overwatch?_ "Any injuries at all?"

"I said I healed."

"But you did sustain damage at one point?" she shot back quickly. He did not even get a chance to respond before she pointed to her bed. "Sit there. Now."

"I will not be ordered..."

"Gabriel Reyes, you will sit your fucking ass on the bed or I will put enough volts through your body to stun a goddamn whale then drag your unconscious corpse over." Her hair frizzled slightly with the electricity going through her hair. Conditioned by the first twenty years of his life to obey his mother when she took on that tone of voice, he automatically found himself moving towards the bed. She then crossed her arms and motioned towards the face. Rolling his eyes, he removed his mask. "Good. All I ask is that whenever you stop by, if it has been a while, let me check you over. I can't just turn off the part of me that is a doctor. Please... I know you heal but I want to do anything I can to ease the pain or at least something..."

He wanted to retort but he stopped himself. One of the things that he felt bitter about since he tore apart Overwatch was that he had no support and he finally had someone willing to support him. What kind of hypocrite would he be to throw that away? That and he knew the guilt she felt about his situation specifically was powerful. The darkness within him told him how great it would be to exploit it. The anger and temper she displayed reminded him of when he had just started in the military. If she could harness it, with her electricity and knowledge of the human body, it would be a powerful combination. The darkness then purred with delight as it remembered something. The way Sally had stared at him, even if it was a professional glance, still was longer than it should have been. She did feel some physical attraction and that could aid in making a powerful anti-Overwatch weapon. He bit his cheek and felt relief at tasting blood as it cleared his thoughts. "Fine. Just get it over with. I don't want to be fussed over."

She gave him a beaming smile. "For now I'll check over your vitals then from there, we'll see what needs attention."

"I'm sure you'll find something if your lecture was anything to go by," the mercenary responded neutrally.

Her hands stopped briefly but she tried to resume, hoping he didn't notice. "You actually watched it?"

"You are well spoken which is why I'm curious about the ill-bred cowboy and his presence. I thought you hated Overwatch."

As she gently began to poke his skin, she chewed on her lip slightly. "He saved me from a Talon agent after my flight."

Reaper's nostrils flared in anger. Sally even withdrew her hand as she noticed a couple of his veins bulged as well. "Those fools... They dare?"

 _Dare?_ "Why would they go after me?"

Seeing her worried expression, he took some of the bite out of his tone. "I haven't heard anything. I've done a few jobs for Talon and associated with some of them but I do not consider myself a Talon agent".He then tilts his head slightly to allow her to examine his neck better before deciding to remove his jacket to make it easier for her to check his pulse. "I can look into it."

"Wouldn't that compromise your standing with them?" she motioned upwards and Reaper lifted his shirt so she could examine his chest.

A sharp intake of breath both pleased and worried him. "Don't worry about them. What is it, doc?"

"It looks like even when the skin healed here..." she touched lightly across his pectorals. "This isn't right. Almost like a permanent burn but yet, the skin is healthy as if it did not have it but the discoloration..."

"I have that in spades," Reaper muttered bitterly.

"It's just..." She blew out a breath of frustration. "Gabriel, this might sound rude but can I study you? I want to find someway to at least improve part of your life to make up for causing this."

He gave a firm look to the guilty medic. "You didn't do this to me. Your mentor did."

"And I took her word at face value that you were dead," she retorted angrily. "If I looked into it, maybe I could have helped you. I would never have left you in limbo like this," she motioned towards his body. "This did not heal properly but your body thinks it's appropriate and always will return it to that state. I cannot even imagine the amount of pain you're constantly in. If she thought merely speeding up your regeneration would solve shit, the fact your body is still trying to die counters that. I can't believe how hard Mercy fucked it up."

Reaper gave her a careful look. "What should she have done?"

She looked contemplative for a second then bit out, "She shouldn't have tried to play God. With what she did and didn't know, the fact she tweaked your body like this when you already were altered by the Program along with the _Commander_ ," she added bitterly. "It was a massive fucking mistake."

"So you think I should have died?" he pushed a little further. He got a slight dark pleasure out of seeing her discomfort but he noted anytime she seemed to have a hard decision, a few seconds later, the indecisiveness was gone.

"You should have died and it would have been better if you did if only for your sanity," she said. "I think however the _Commander_ ," her mocking tone got an angry twinge before she continued. "He should have listened to you. It was known the two of you were friends. It might have been difficult to give Blackwatch credit due to being a covert group, but he could have done something. Anything. Fuck, your part of the organization was what kept the rest of Overwatch from being seen as terrorists."

He saw how fired up she was getting as she buttoned his shirt back up, finally finished with her assessment. She began to write some notes during the short silence. "You really believe Blackwatch helped?"

"Yes. Blackwatch fought so that children didn't have to fight. They killed so that the innocent agents didn't have to have blood on their hands. I was in Medwatch so I know what went on," she reminded him. "I'm not a killer or a fighter but I have to respect those who took the fight and protected others, even indirectly."

Reaper was quiet for a moment before just nodding. "Thank you."

She smiled but before she could add anything, she stood up quickly. "Someone is at the door. Gabriel, I need to show you the emergency exits just in case..."

He shook his head. "No need. I explored the house while you were gone. Found the map too. Handy." He quickly donned his mask and jacket. "Can I have the room I was staying in?"

Sally felt relief as she nodded. "Of course. And I suppose you don't need the key since you can get in. Now go. Be careful and know you're welcome anytime."

He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it slightly before releasing. "Be careful. Don't die on me."

"I'll try not to, Reaper," she teased as she walked down her stairs. She felt with her electricity how difficult it was to track the former soldier and felt reassured that whoever the impromptu guest was would not run into him. Just in case, she grabbed her Desert Eagle as she went to the door and opened it. Her eyes widened and she felt anger zapping across her brain at the speed of light.

Blonde hair like a halo and a welcoming expression on her face, Angela Ziegler held out her hands in a warm gesture. "Salvation, it is good to see you. Although I suppose you prefer being referred to as Sally now and..."

Mercy did not get any further words out before she raised the gun and shot the doctor in the shoulder.


	4. Hindsight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little fillery and milder than expected but it sets up the next chapter

When Angela received Winston's voice mail, she already had departed from the private airplane that was allowed to her by a happy benefactor. It had puzzled her to be warned out of attempting to reconnect with her distant protege. And she completely brushed off the possibility of being shot at. The Sally Jones she knew was a gentle soul who was so shattered at the idea of being unable to save a person that she truly believed nothing bad could happen.

The agent known as Salvation was one of Angela's favorite things about being head of Medwatch. She had no desire to be in the limelight and thus, did not try to take away from the organization by infighting. Her analytical mind was aided by the electricity surging through her and that made her a very quick study. If only she had stayed in Overwatch a little longer then Angela could have taken her under her wing a bit longer or at least, stopped the gap between them.

The failure to truly save Gabriel Reyes was not the first misstep in the relationship between her and her apprentice but it was the final straw. Angela hated discounting any information when it came to healing a patient but she had no time for particulars. Sally did not understand how much both Jack and Gabriel meant to her and she would do anything to save them. The fact she should have taken her advice hit her really hard.

Like a bullet.

The shock and pain took her out of her thoughts and reminiscing quickly as her hand instinctively went to her shoulder to stem the blood flow. Thankfully the nanobots inside her would be quick at work as long as she did nothing to agitate the fresh wound. "Sally?" she gasped in shock as she winced further. The skin around the wound seemed seared almost with a high heat and the muscle was spasming more than a normal shot would have done.

" _Mercy_ ," she hissed back as she pointed the gun directly at her former master. "I rejected coming back to Overwatch. I ignored every text message, call and email. I even blatantly snubbed you at any medical conference we were at together where on the speaker pamphlets, I was still listed as your protege. And you still come here? After McCree's warning and me basically kicking Tracer out? The sheer gall!"

The angelic healer frowned slightly. "But associating with me had benefits, didn't it? What happened to the young lady who happily brought coffee to the infirmary despite scolding us about caffeine addiction? I remember how you used to babble about me and Jack. You wanted to meet us for so long then..."

"Don't mention the _Commander_ ," Sally grunted as she tightened her grip on her Desert Eagle. "I'm not in the mood. At all. Why come to me? I want to be left alone."

Mercy struggled to give an answer that would not result in another shot. The pacifist nature Sally used to have was not even visible in her eyes. The blue was a cold glint, like a storm churned sea. "You're in danger. I know Tracer told you about someone murdering agents. He... He will likely try to target you because he's failed to kill me. He's tried to eliminate Winston but Winston held him off. It is grim."

"Look, I've been targeted already and it failed!" Sally protested, waving the gun around in annoyance.

Mercy's eyes carefully watched the firearm as she calculated a response. "Blackwatch Commander Reyes. We're pretty sure he's the killer."

Sally's insides felt like turning to ice. _So they do know._ "So, if Reyes is alive... that means you fucked up. Royally."

Angela's cheeks burned with shame. "I didn't know his body would react that way. I mean, I've never attempted such a procedure but I thought..."

"Bullshit. You didn't think at all," Sally fired back angrily. "I tried to tell you. Remind you rather, that whatever the government did to his and the commander's body would have likely not reacted with your technology as expected. But no. Angela fucking Ziegler can do no wrong medically. So, if Commander Reyes is the enemy of Overwatch, what does that mean for me?"

"He... might think you willingly didn't try," the older doctor tried but Sally's eyebrows narrowed.

_That's not how it happened at all... You knocked me out and bound me so I couldn't try. I had pleaded with you before hand. I know he was conscious! Besides, if he wanted to kill me, he would have. The first time he met me and the second time..._ She glared at Angela angrily. "You want to lie to yourself? Fine. Don't pull that with me. I'm tired of it and lost enough to Overwatch."

"You aren't a fighter, Sally. Just because Jack recruited you..."

"He did not come after me for my medical skills! He saw a fangirl who could be marginally useful who happened to have wealthy, supportive parents," she sneered angrily. "I should have listened to my mother. Entering Overwatch at such a young age was foolish. I gained valuable experience yes but..." She shuddered slightly. "I've lost so much."

Mercy sighed and looked down. _Did I smother her too much? Only kept her in the infirmary so she barely interacted with the other agents. Then the main one she sees is her recruiter... Jack let the fame and glamour of military get to his head. How could we know how entitled he would get? Sigh. I should have listened to her more._ "Salvation," she said tentatively. At the tone, Sally put down her gun and crossed her arms, giving a pointed look towards the older woman. "If I email asking if you're alive, will you at least confirm it? I haven't been the most thoughtful mentor and I need to make amends."

"Only to ease your guilty mind but I can do that. Is there anything else?" Tears glittered in her eyes, causing Sally to feel awkward. _Please don't cry. This is uncomfortable enough as is._

Thankfully or not, Mercy engulfed Sally in a tight hug. Sally stiffened out of shock and her eyes went big. "I'm sorry. I promise to make it up to you."

Not knowing what to say, she nodded slowly. Thankfully she was released and she cleared her throat. "Take care. It'd be sad if I have to treat your wounds because of past mistakes."

Angela's mouth gasped slightly at the unexpected warmth but did not do anything other than nod for fear of provoking the newly ingrained hostility within her apprentice. Walking out, the minute she was a block away she reached for her phone and dialed Overwatch. The minute the call cleared, she spoke sharply. "She won't be back. It's hard for me to take... but we can't force it."

"Damn it, Angela. You know Reyes will go after her."

The doctor was on a short fuse now. She had enough of being dressed down. She tolerated it from her former apprentice as it was very much justified but she had enough of taking her friend's crap. "Jack Morrison. You contributed to this situation. Instead, you chose to hide from it. Fix your mistakes and don't hide behind a visor. She wants to try to fix our problems but we didn't let her so we got to let her go. Can you do that?"

Soldier 76's tone grunted in annoyance. "My mistake was trusting Reyes in our headquarters after the last argument."

"We need to shut him down then. As much as I wanted to see my apprentice, we have other problems on our plate." She closed the phone on the angry soldier and cast a last glance towards the house. _Maybe I should have done things differently... I should have listened but now, all I can do is atone. That is what you're about Salvation? I am curious though... I wonder when you did have to pick a call sign, why you chose that one? Why...?_

The subject of her thoughts was humming happily to herself. Shooting Mercy in the shoulder had cured quite a bit of frustration and angst she felt without going overboard. She knew anyway that the doctor's nanobots within her blood stream would fix her up anyway but knowing she caused a bit of pain with the bullet that she had charged with her electricity for extra pain and burning was good enough for her. Mercy's comment about her email however had reminded her to check her own. During the lecture, she had given out an email she used to specifically answer any questions and comments in regards to her findings and research. While many doctors and scientists claimed to have such a resource at their disposal, many ignored all but a few _worthy_ emails. Sally however held no such snobbery and clicked open her browser. _Goodness, so many responses already!_

Many were comments about the lecture itself with some questions and before answering anything, Sally already opened up her folders. There were folders with specific lectures as their title and inside those, different categories. She deposited questions in its own folder, requests for personal visits of a medical nature into another, research correspondence, and finally the dreaded other folder. Sorting through emails was second nature but one email stood out to her. _Would he be that obvious?_ She wondered as she clicked on the one from a Gabriel Reyes.

She could practically hear his smirk in the writing. "I hope whoever visited you didn't treat you badly. Going on a few missions. Be back later."

Inside the email, she saw a request to be a contact. Skeptical, she replied to the email. "Prove to me who you are."

Sally was curious at the person and if it was Gabriel, she was elated to have a way to communicate with him. She barely had gotten up for a soda when she heard her email browser respond happily. "I'm dead serious about who I am."

Scoffing, she replied back. "Pun whore."

It did not even take a full minute for the retort. "I resent that. Now will you accept the damn request so we can actually use the companion messenger?"

"Pic or no proof!" she replied quickly with a smirk.

For a few moments, the computer was silent. She sipped victoriously until she heard the response. "The second time you saw me recently, you stared quite obviously at me. Could you handle a picture of me?" Another email arrived shortly afterwards. "And the first time we met in Overwatch, you were gushing about the other Commander but I did extend you a certain offer..."

Sally flushed a deep red and she accepted the invite. Not even a second after, she messaged him quickly. "You're an ass."

"But was I wrong?"

"Still an ass. Isn't this a dangerous way to communicate, Gabriel?"

There was a few moments before his next message. "This email you use is for corresponding with the medical community. I doubt Talon or Overwatch would try to monitor any messages exchanged."

She hummed contemplatively as her fingers flew over the keyboard. "Just be careful, Gabriel. I'd happily sacrifice any communication if it kept you safe."

"You worry too much, woman." She frowned slightly but he kept typing. "Keep my area comfortable. I'll try to visit after my next mission. Maybe I'll stay longer if there are no interruptions. I'll try to bring you a souvenir."

"You don't need to do that for me... Besides, I think Mercy will be satisfied for now. I don't know who else might try to pry me away," Sally reported with irritation. "I might have had to hit her in the pride in order for her to relax."

Reaper chuckled darkly as he keyed his response on his phone before exited the application. "Maybe she finally realizes her mistake... And that it might kill her."

He was irate as he exited the room and looked at the rest of the airplane. Talon had influence alright and secret ways to travel, including private airways. All the staff had a special confidentiality agreement and no one was willing to dare break it. Especially when today's V.I.P. was a certain Reaper who seemed to be in a _mood_. This mood was frightening because while he enjoyed killing as did the infamous Widowmaker, a mood brought on without violence was in fact scarier. They did not know how to react. "Beer. Now!"

The workers scrambled to give him a few cans before scampering off in fear. The mercenary rolled his eyes behind his mask and lifted it slightly to sip at the can. His brow wrinkled in distaste. _Sally had better stuff in her fridge than this piss._ Mood slightly worse, he glanced out the window and saw the city was a distant dot on the skyscape. _Hopefully they leave you alone. Maybe if I never showed up, they would have just watched from a distance and not bothered. Fuck. Can't do anything about it now. What was that mission again?_


	5. Destruction and Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more graphic but eh... was bound to happen. Just the beginning anyways

Widowmaker looked at the information on the woman before her curiously. She was used to taking all manner of assignments but the following information was perplexing. The information was on a former agent or at least someone who was previously affiliated with Talon. Killing traitors was no bother to the French femme fatale but a former child agent? That seemed off to her. Biting her lip brought pain which shot clarity into the woman's mind. Mental dilemma forgotten, she closed the file and locked it up as the door opened. "Oui?"

"I just finished my part of the mission," a dark hiss intoned as Reaper wisped himself in the doorway. He was wary of wherever Widowmaker may have placed her Venom Mine. While he never was permanently hurt by it when he stepped too close to it before, it was still an unpleasant experience he would rather avoid. "Now, do your job."

"So impatient, monsieur," she smirked as she reached for her gun, stroking it like one would a lover. "I'm waiting for all the little mice to come out and play."

The cold sing song tone the woman had felt like nails to the man's skull. He hated whenever she acted in a cold, flirtatious manner and found it detrimental. He preferred a cool professionalism to this. "Whatever. Just hurry up. I could use a good soul about now." His hands twitched slightly. Absorbing life force did help to make himself feel more at ease and intact with the world even when he found out he did not seem to really need it. He never however had tried to do without a little soul sucking and had no reason to attempt living without.

"Disgusting and messy," the sniper said disapprovingly as she pulled the trigger. Her hair flicking away elegantly was dismissal enough for Reaper as he went down the building.

He had killed all the people who attempted to flank the cold hearted sniper and it had provided him with sustenance enough for a long time but at the same time, his body felt uneasy. The kindness that was being extended to him long distance from a would be savior made him feel guilty about how he still murdered coldly. He took blood money not just from Talon but anyone willing to pay and had not run into a job he was unwilling to complete. In addition, he did not just snuff out lives but violate their souls as he took them into his own being. If Overwatch suffered because of his actions, it was a benefit. He walked over a body, watching as the corpse seemed to sink into itself and rot. Little orbs, almost like ethereal flaming grapes surged out of the body to travel into his. They would float into little tears or gaps in his clothing to find his skin and once they made contact, would sink in. He sighed deeply as the feeling was both therapeutic and painful. The tending and ripping of his own body was so instantaneous that he could watch himself and not notice a difference if he ignored the pain and bliss. "This is my curse..." Reaper hissed softly as he continued down. His voice caught the attention of someone and he smirked behind his mask at the clumsy, inexperienced actions. He only reached for one shotgun when he heard the scampering of feet from behind him. Not even looking, he shot with a quick flick of his wrist and heard the satisfying sound of bullet hitting flesh. Scoffing, he continued as the little orbs of life followed him through the building. "Fools. Believing they can sneak up on death."

Making it down to the chaos below, he found a few of the people the sniper shot. He went through their belongings on them to confirm their identity out of habit. While he never doubted the woman's ability to get her mark, old habits died hard. Clucking his tongue in reluctant approval, he reached towards the communicator. "All her minions are dead. Onto the female cyborg. Do you have her location?"

A cold chuckle sounded in his ears. "Mon chere, no one can hide from my sight."

Reaper heard a beep on his communicator as she sent him the coordinate. Carefully noting the location, he Shadow Stepped close by before slinking into the shadows. He could have gone into his Wraith Form but it was better to save some tricks for later or at least more vital situations.

He frowned as when he went into the nearly empty apartment marked on the communicator, it was sparsely furnished. Whoever this cyborg was, it was not like the one from Overwatch named Genji who had tried to have a hybrid of human and mechanical life. Geni could eat but did not quite get the taste or nourishment anymore. The kitchen lacked any foodstuffs completely and had a thick layer of dust as if completely unused. The living room also had a similarly thick coating. It was not until the master bedroom did something seem different. A monitor was on, illuminating the otherwise dark room. In front of it was a thin, solitary figure with long wispy chocolate hair that looked so thin just touching it would cause the strands to shatter. Reaper carefully drew his shotguns and used the barrel of one of the guns to turn the chair the person was sitting on.

He felt his gut clench with disgust and pity. The woman or rather, former woman, was staring at him blankly with sharp eyes the color of the ocean. "That took a while. I was tiring of hearing you stumble through my home. You are loud."

Reaper's eyebrow rose from behind his mask as he examined her. Her face was almost entirely metallic, with patches of what he thought were skin splotched every so often like a disease on mechanical perfection. Her eyes were that of a normal human's but when set into a semi mechanical setting, was disturbing. It looked even more sunken than a skull as it sat in the artificial face and even emptier looking sockets that just seemed to imitate a black hole behind the organic feature. Her nose and lips were all metallic but as she spoke, Reaper saw a moving, organic tongue and teeth. _What the hell is she?_

"No words? Figures. All you young people just stare at the abomination."

_Deja vu._ Reaper watched as her throat bobbed slightly. He noticed part of her neck was still organic and fleshy but it was a gray color, almost blending in with her metal body. "Did you ask for this?" the mercenary motioned to the cyborg's body.

The laugh from the cyborg was pathetic wheezing that seemed to be artificially amplified in a clumsy mixture of man and machine. "I asked to protect my daughter. The agent I created. The agent I condemned. And this is my karmic retribution. I'm glad she thinks I'm dead. For this is truly not living." She motioned to herself. Reaper heard creaking and the hissing of machinery that did not even want to move be forced and protest loudly. "I cannot die because I am mechanical. I must feel because I am organic. My heart beats in this shell and I supposedly have a soul. But I can do nothing."

Reaper does not know why he does this at first, but he wields both shotguns and shoots quickly until both guns are empty. The cyborg was pushed back into the monitor and electricity flew around them and hissed as the shots truly sunk in. When the electronic hum died, he swore he could hear a faint sentence. "Thank you..."

Sure enough, after the thing's death, he saw the little orbs of life force bubble up from the crevices of the cyborg's broken body. Putting along, they slowly hone in on Reaper's body despite his reluctance and add their life force with his essence. He hissed and coughed at the stinging, unnatural feeling intruding on his body. The sensation usually was uncomfortable at best but this was on a whole new level. Nausea overtook him as he did something he had not done since his first day of reawakening.

He barely had time to pry his mask off of his face before he vomited on the floor. He was not sure how he had anything in his stomach but he felt whatever was there leave. His gasps and dry heaves took a few minutes to die down before he wiped his face. _What the fuck is going on? I've consumed thousands of souls and haven't had this reaction in years._ He felt a tremor in his body and closed his eyes for a few seconds. _Qué chingados!_

"Merde! What's taking so long?" Widowmaker's voice broke over the communicator in irritation. "I'm being pursued."

"Be a moment," Reaper coughed as he took a look through the room. He did not know why but he felt himself reach for one of his grenades and pull the pin. Dropping it in the room, he used his Wraith Form to escape the building. The explosion behind him filled him with relief as he regrouped with an irate sniper. "You called me and killed them?" he hissed as he absorbed the corpses' souls in irritation that his rush was for nothing. He had frowned slightly behind his mask that the soul he absorbed had no negative effect on him but at the same time, did not help to ease the feeling he had from earlier.

"La veuve tisse sa toile," she smiled with pleasure. "And so, they fall. Did you obtain any information?"

"No. Place was rigged to explode," he lied easily without giving any physical cues. He had enough training as a former Blackwatch head to be able to control his own body when he had to and _dying_ made it only easier.

Widowmaker examined him carefully before shrugging. "Either way, target is eliminated. C'est la vie."

The mercenary looked at the cold hearted sleeper agent turned killer before his eyes went back to the rubble. For some reason, he felt something important was here but could not risk snooping while Widowmaker was around. He pulled out his phone as he saw she was contacting Talon for extraction and quickly looked up some details about the city they were in. "Wait up. I might stay for a bit."

She paused in the orders she was barking in the communicator. "Encore?"

"Things are interesting here it seems... Might have more souls for the taking," he rolled his shoulders in mock anticipation.

Widowmaker rolled her eyes in annoyance. In the past on missions together, he would stay behind to devour more souls because he got too greedy. _American swine_ , she thought coldly before shrugging. "Au revoir," she said as she flung out her grappling hook onto a nearby building to head towards the extraction point.

Relieved, Reaper shot a quick email over to the only person he felt like he could talk to about anything without fear. "So today... I vomited."

Back in her mansion, Sally Jones was examining and documenting differences in blood she had managed to extract at a great cost. She was serious about wanting to help Gabriel and had to pay a great deal in order to secure blood samples of his before and after the Soldier Enhancements. Her father's former influence or rather, the reputation he held before his death did help at least a little bit. _Now all I need is Gabriel to give me a live sample and..._

A happy beep from her computer took her out of her concentration. Carefully sealing the precious blood back up, she scooted over to her laptop and her eyes bugged out at the simple four word sentence. "What the fuck, Gabriel?" she muttered as she touched her head delicately as she felt a migraine zap across her head..

It had been a few months since Mercy had visited and since then, Gabriel exchanged emails every so often with Sally. Right now, it was too dangerous to outright instant message each other so they often just responded back and forth via email.

As of late, they had been discussing differences he had experienced in this body versus his old, pre-death body. He felt joy and could taste food but it was no longer necessary for him to consume it. Alcohol could get him drunk and a headache but no serious hangover. It would seem perfect to some to be devoid of a necessity for basic human needs but Reaper had confessed other things too.

"I miss taking a piss," he chortled once as he wrote it in the email. He could only imagine her brows scrunch in distaste on reading it.

Sure enough, he got a sharp reply. "That is beyond crude."

Glancing around and realising he was safe enough, he opened up his messenger. "It might be a guy thing but it's just a feeling of relief..."

"And unintentional pun," she typed back as she shook her head. "There has to be other things."

"Well... I can actually still do it. But I don't need it. It is just weird." He then paused as he thought about it a bit longer. "I don't need to blink. My eyes don't dry out. It's fucking weird. I could win a staring contest without trying but it is beyond annoying."

Sally had been perplexed at this. "That sounds like a great tactical advantage. Not needing to blink means you can keep your eyes on the target."

The reply had been very short to the point. "And lose another thing that made me human in the process."

Guilt had seeped into her pores as she read the sentence. Reading about Gabriel's recent stomach issues had made her think about the past and try to analyze every conversation they had about his physical functions. She frowned in displeasure as she composed the email. "I doubt you could gather any of the vomit... But if you could, that would help. Or can you at least tell me what happened up until that point? I can't help if I don't know."

Reaper had sighed as he read the reply. He could feel the worry off the simple digital message in waves but did not want to burden her. She knew he was a killer but he had tried not to be specific and graphic with how exactly his body worked now. Soon though, he knew she would find out and he wondered if she would still be as supportive if she knew how it felt for him. The good and the bad. _Surely once she knows, she will condemn me like the others. She will crawl back to Overwatch to redeem herself for giving the monster a chance._ "I can't tell you anything about it," he typed and as he hit send, he knew that she would be suspicious.

But at the very least, the reply she sent back was worry filled. "Gabriel... Be careful. I'm here for you." Sally knew the minute she sent that response, he would stop responding and brood. She decided to check through her other emails meanwhile and saw a random message from Mercy. Rolling her eyes, she opened it up and bit her lip as she opened the attachment.

The fact two of Talon's assassins had decimated a small town in the United States was worrying. There was nothing seemingly there but Sally frowned further. Other than a few random Omnics and a street gang, the town was a small town with a local community college. It was situated not too far from prominent cities but it did not contain something that would interest a world wide criminal organization.

Most normal people would not attempt to decipher the destruction except Sally Jones knew the damaged buildings all too well. She grew up staring at them as a child. Frowning slightly, she composed a simple reply to Mercy's email. "Thank you for sharing. I'm nowhere near there but thank you." Hitting send, she was frustrated as she thought more on it. _What could be there that was of interest to Talon?_

Mercy however breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Sally's email. That day had not been a good one for her. Receiving a cryptic alert from Genji that Brigitte was warning of an attack was enough to make her investigate. The prototype cyborg had been bitter at the angelic doctor for saving her life from an explosion. One would think an agent that turned against their organization would be thankful to another for saving their life but the bitter conversations had convinced Angela Ziegler to leave her be. Mercy however was stirred out of her musing when she heard a throat clear behind her. Turning slightly, she saw the slight green glow of Genji's cybernetic body. "Hey," she smiled softly.

He nodded respectfully. "Angela-san. I will depart to the site but I doubt I will find anything now. Talon might have already tried to cover their tracks."

She frowned slightly. "There is no way to head there without alerting Jack to what we know. Then he'll try to find Reaper, even if he may or may not be involved."

"He's involved. There are reports of... husks found on the battlefield. Drained as if sustenance had been sucked out of them." He paused slightly before continuing. "Brigitte... Do you think she wanted to die?"

"She did," Mercy confessed grimly. "I doubt she put any resistance up and embraced death like an old friend. She almost killed me when she saw what I did."

Genji was silent for a few minutes. He remembered the anger he had initially felt upon waking up as a cyborg and sympathized with the prototype cyborg. Unlike Brigitte, he was lucky enough to eventually accept his body and harmonize himself. Brigitte however resented every part of her new existence and had no desire to connect with her old one out of shame and regret. "Do you believe they targeted her intentionally?"

"Brigitte was a former agent of Talon. You don't just leave Talon," Mercy said quietly. "She refused to tell us anything at all, claiming we were just as bad as Talon but that we masqueraded with a pleasant mask." The doctor felt guilt clench her. She was quiet about what she was involved with in regards to Brigitte's transformation from human to cyborg for fear of how others would treat her. Very few knew of it in fact and she knew if Sally was aware of the circumstances, she would be dead. "We can hope that she set up some sort of safeguard to leak information if she didn't log in."

Genji frowned behind his metallic face plate. "I doubt that... I don't know of how she was like before but she was as a cyborg, very bitter. She hated everything about life and would not divulge anything to me other than to warn of an attack."

Mercy bit her lip with worry. "I think I'll have Jack bring Sally here. She is in danger even if she denies it."

Genji tilted his head slightly. "Didn't things go badly last time? Didn't she threaten you?"

"I would rather die than to let her suffer because of my mistakes," she said softly. "The town they fought in was where Sally Jones grew up until she left for university." She paused slightly before clearing her throat with determination. "If Talon discovers the link between Sally and Brigitte, things will go very badly."

"Is Sally aware of the connection?"

Mercy shook her head. "No."

"Then why the worry?"

"Because Talon targeted a reclusive cyborg for no reason at all in a small town of no significance." She twisted her hands slightly out of nerves. "When something has no reason, you find a reasoning. This is the only thing that fits."

Genji felt a headache reverberate through his brain that felt on par with how he felt anytime he went to bond with his brother. "She is going to really hate us..."


	6. Hostilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hint of what is to come. Do not own any of the songs mentioned

Sally sighed as she ran her hand over the leather steering wheel. It had taken a couple days to drive over to her old hometown but after the events in New Mexico, she wanted to have a gun on her at all times. Parking in a public garage, she set out on foot for the disaster zone.

Thankfully it was only a couple of apartments and a handful of commercial buildings destroyed but she wondered what anyone would want to do in a place like this? The general public assumed terrorist attacks and as such, saw no need to make any restrictions upon the area. After all, there was little to do in the town and no one wanted to go near what was a warzone only days ago. It did not take long before Sally walked to the partially destroyed buildings and began to walk through the walls. Her left hand glowed slightly with electricity, acting as a lamp, while she explored through the ruins. A loud bang however, put her on edge. Overcharging her left hand with power, she let electricity spark threateningly while her right hand went to the gun holstered to her right leg. She moved the slit of her skirt slightly and swiftly drew the gun just to be met with two shotguns.

Reaper blinked as he found the noisy person trotting around the apartment ruin. He was groaning at the thought of having to kill yet another nosy, snooping person. Ever since the cyborg, his body felt disquiet when absorbing life force. He did not expect however to be staring into an electric ball and a Desert Eagle. "What the..."

They both shouted at each other, "What the fuck are you doing here?!"

Sally had glanced at Reaper and found herself smiling despite the intimidating mask and guns. She lowered her gun and allowed her left hand to dim in power. "This is my old home town. What about you, Gabriel?" She secured her gun to her right thigh and smirked slightly seeing him watch her carefully.

Reaper's throat felt tight as he examined his friend. She wore a pastel blue blouse that was a button up. The material looked silk but was tight enough to draw attention to her chest, especially with a couple of the top buttons undone. She had a leather, half jacket on to compliment her long, calf long leather skirt but the right side had a long slit in it to expose her leg and a holster. He noticed a black boot and he found himself licking his lips. Her clothing made him realize he had been staring and he cleared his throat before grunting out. "Had a mission here."

Sally's eyes narrowed slightly but she did not try to draw her gun and instead reclined on a surprisingly intact couch. She watched him carefully sheath his guns and uncross his arms. He kept his mask and long jacket on however and she could not blame him since they were out in public. "Responsible for the explosions and death?"

Reaper watched her face stay neutral despite her accusing words. "The explosion of this apartment and some deaths. Explosion was unintentional and then afterwards, something set more explosives off. Deaths however... kind of my SOP."

She sighed as she rose from the couch and walked through the apartment. She did not have to look back to know he was following her. "Are you allowed to tell me what the mission was about?"

"Not really," Reaper commented before continuing. "But it was to interrogate and kill a cyborg."

Sally's left hand extinguished in surprise. "A cyborg? Like Genji?" Reaper shuddered and that alone was enough to put Sally on edge. _To freak out Gabriel... Fuck._

"I wish this cyborg was as sophisticated. It looked like someone just decided to put metal plates on a person and not even numb the pain. Just thinking of it is..." He twitched slightly. It was something that he wanted to lock into a dark part of his mind and not allow out. He wondered if he had not made contact with the medic if he would have found the cyborg ingenious rather than repulsive.

"Is that what caused you to vomit?" Sally asked knowingly. She saw Gabriel's head rise up and she looked at his mask with a sigh. "It's weird trying to make eye contact and staring at your mask."

He snickered darkly. "I'm investigating the ruins of the apartment to see what information Talon was after."

Sally however did not seem to like that. "And you'll report it to them?"

"Not necessarily," he said with a mock reassurance. Part of him was tempted to, knowing Talon would pay handsomely for any information but at the same time, it could benefit him to sit on the information. Also, with Sally looking at him darkly, he did not want to dare betray her trust.

"If you say so," she replied skeptically as she walked on, glancing around for anything interest.

The darkness within Reaper however began to murmur to him as the medic was nudging stuff with her boots, trying to see if they were interesting. _Could just take her. Rip her existence. Surely a soul like hers will cleanse that foul cyborg's soul out. She would taste sweet, maybe like a vanilla flan or even fruit. Her body would sooth those irritating, human urges. I am above humans and do not require them any longer for anything other than cattle to sustain myself on._ Reaper shook his head as he heard her gasp. She was pointing to a caved in scrap of metal in the shape of a human. He nodded. "That's the cyborg," he confirmed as he watched her look over the target.

She frowned as she carefully turned it over. "I don't want to touch it... If she still had human components, it could react negatively with any skin contact or I could get sick..."

Reaper laughed as he rolled over the cyborg. To him, now it was just an empty husk and nothing to fuss over. "I have no qualms about it. I do have gloves anyway."

"Good. I don't want you coming in contact with that thing," Sally said coldly as she looked over the cyborg. "Well, I can see what parts appeared to be human still. It looked like it imploded from the inside almost. What can do that? Especially to a cyborg... In order to be a successful cyborg, they have to be able to sustain themselves. A cyborg would have been very noticeable here in this town. People are too tight-knit and talk too much. I hear they barely were accepting of Omnics here."

"She appeared to be in control of a gang of people. Maybe they believed her an Omnic?" Reaper speculated.

"People here are too insular," Sally emphasized. "Gabriel, I don't know where you're from but people in small towns act differently than city folk."

"Los Angeles," he answered easily. Sally's surprise at his response made him smirk. "Friends share things," he added with a chuckle. "So, why did you leave such a cozy small town?"

"Nothing I said indicated I enjoyed this hell hole," she hissed harshly. "Close minded. Unwilling to learn. Complacent. Sedentary. I hate this fucking place and was happy to leave it."

Bitter much? Reaper thought but in the mood she displayed, he knew better than to snark at her as her left hand was practically crackling with power.

"I was happy to leave. My parents however did not want a busy life. Father was involved in the Soldier Enhancement project," she explained, noticing how Reaper tensed slightly. "It's why when I realized who you were at Overwatch, I was apprehensive of you and the Commander. He had written in medical journals how the two of you took to the program."

"Oh?" Now he was interested. "He wrote about that?"

"Yes and I read them. He stated that you became colder but displayed some aggressive tendencies," she said carefully. The man however was far from offended and even started to preen proudly. That was, before he remembered something that made him frown. "Why were you so obsessed with Morrison?"

Sally looked like she had been stuck in a flash freezer with how stiff her demeanor became. "Not having this conversation."

"What?"

"Drop it."

Reaper wanted to laugh. Did she really become that angry over her little crush? As much as he despised Jack Morrison, he always was curious about what had drawn him and the little medic together in the past. "You have to give me something, Sally."

"Reyes, if you don't shut the fuck up," she hissed in annoyance and he saw her eyes blaze with electricity in them. She then blinked and groaned suddenly, touching her eyes gingerly. Reaper abandoned his teasing voice as he caught her before she could fall.

"What's wrong, Sally?" he asked as he caught her and carried her over to the couch in the room. He kicked off some of the debris to make room for her before cursing how filthy everything was.

"I think I temporarily blinded myself," she grunted in annoyance. "This is annoying. Everything is fuzzy."

He sat her up and thanked luck that she did not notice how dust covered her clothing had become. For someone meticulous, it would have been immensely frustrating. "So I have to be your eyes?" he hissed in her ear. She swatted him slightly on the side of the head.

"Not funny. It's too dangerous for me to try to use electricity to sense around me so please... Don't walk me off a cliff or something," she said quietly, squirming slightly.

Reaper felt a surge of power at the thought. She hated displaying any weakness or relying on others, especially after her stint in Overwatch. Reaper knew he could overpower her now especially. He could take her soul. He could take everything that was hers that she trusted to him... But he paused and watched her. She had closed her eyes in order to let them rest and her head was tilted, as if contemplating something. She had reached her hands out for his, expecting him to guide her. He held his left hand out, allowing her to grasp it with both hands. He noticed how petite she seemed to be yet her fingers were elegant as if designed to manipulate delicate machinery or instruments. He used his strength to help her up and she kept close to him. Her footsteps seemed even louder than normal and he paused in confusion. "Why are you walking so noisily now?"

She paused and sighed. "I used electricity to elevate myself sometimes when I walk to make it easier to stay faster." She awkwardly kicked at the floor with her boot as she moved her head downwards, embarrassed. "But until I can see and calm down, I want to avoid using my electricity. I wonder if this is what being exposed to a flash bang is like."

"Calm down?" he wondered as he rubbed the thumb of his glove over her wrist. He felt her pulse slightly through the glove's material and his eyes widened slightly. Her heartbeat was very erratic and she was slightly flushed. He pulled her close to him suddenly and she squeaked. "Rat," he lied.

"Oh... I hate vermin," she shivered slightly as she felt his body. Normally when against someone, you would be able to feel some body heat but while Reaper was not necessarily void of it, he did not seem to radiate it either. She just felt the temperature of the ruined apartment and the long coat he wore. "Do you see anything, Gabriel?"

He grunted in annoyance until he saw a picture that he did not expect. It was of Sally but it looked like while she was still in training right before Overwatch. She was holding a rifle in her hands happily and saluting the camera. He saw the medals on the breast of her uniform, denoting her as a field medic. _She... can wield a gun that size?_ He frowned as he pocketed the picture. "Nothing. Anything of value looks like it was burned or exploded."

She tried to open her eyes to look around but the man flicked her on the forehead with his glove. "Hey! You have metal on that," she whined slightly as she rubbed at her forehead. "I guess we need to head back to the parking garage."

"You brought a car?" he asked, curious. He had not gone into her house's garage to see what kind of vehicles she liked. It was on the next on his list before she had come home last time.

"Yes. Wait, fuck. I can't drive like this," she motioned to her face in irritation. She then wanted to freeze as she realized the implication. "Gabriel... Can I trust you to drive my car, safely?"

He chortled behind his mask. "Si."

"But you have to ditch the outfit. You'll stick out driving in that. And you must drive the car safely," she emphasized again.

"Mierda," he muttered in annoyance. "I know how to blend in and that it involves taking this off from time to time," he motioned towards his mask despite her being unable to see. "And I can drive a car, thank you. I did have a license and had to drive sometimes during missions too."

"Can you drive safely?"

"Yes woman, I can drive the car safely." He rubbed the side of his head while he removed the mask and pushed back his hood. He felt her nudge her head in the crook of his neck as they moved. "What are you doing?"

"We have to go down stairs..." she remembered as she moved close to him. "I don't want to fall and die."

"I won't let you die. I promise," he said seriously as he helped her down and through the ruins. It did not take them more than a few moments to finally be back on the streets. "Alright. Where is this parking garage?"

"Cross street and which direction are we facing?" she asked as she tilted her head.

"Oak and First. North."

"Ah. Follow me," she said confidently as she tugged him along. His eyebrow raised as he followed the female through the streets. Despite being unable to see, she remembered her hometown enough to navigate out of the way of any telephone poles without Reaper pointing out they were there, she avoided potholes and foliage.

"Do you have an eidetic memory? That would have made you useful in Blackwatch," he remarked as he saw her avoid a serious of bushes that seemed to take up all the space.

"No. Just nothing else to do in this town. You walked a lot. You got used to this boring place. See it yet?"

"Yes I do," he noted. "Keys?"

"Drive safely. Please," she pleaded as she handed him the keys to her car. She pushed the button for it to unlock and his eyes nearly bugged seeing the car.

"Is that a..."

"Tesla Roadster. I can charge it myself with electricity but it always has gas in it just in case. Please. Drive carefully. She's my baby."

Gabriel tilted his head slightly at her. "You don't strike me as a car person."

"I'm not... but look at the car. She's beautiful."

He shook his head with amusement as he led her to the car. She sat in the passenger side and buckled her belt. She heard him go to the other side and start up the car. Neither of them expected the music to blast out however at nearly eardrum shattering decibels. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO HIT ME LIKE THAT, MOMMY? DON'T DO IT, YOU'RE HURTING ME." Gabriel immediately yanked the volume control down and looked at the now flushed red medic next to him. "You listen to old music... And Disturbed? Really?"

"I like different music," she said softly, definitely embarrassed. "And that song draws me. I don't know why."

"Well that song is relatively darker and the meanings behind it..." he frowned slightly. "You don't have a good past with your mother?"

"No! Not like that I mean," she spluttered. "We were a bit awkward around each other, I mean. My mother never liked being in this town. She hated how slow it was as she was from the city. But she loved my dad enough to go along with it."

"What did she do?"

"Architect. Old school way. Not the way Vishkar runs things," she explained. "Towns like this don't draw Architechs so sometimes an old fashioned Architect will have to do."

"Odd. You hungry?" She nodded slightly and he drove them through a drive thru. "Don't say it. I am driving this carefully," he interrupted as she tried to open her mouth.

"Thank you," she hummed before she was interrupted by her cell phone going off. Not even looking at it, she turned it off. "Anything else can wait. Food now."

Meanwhile, Soldier 76 was staring at the cell phone in his hands in utter annoyance. "She sent me to voice mail... then turned off her phone."

Mercy shook her head. "I told you, she refuses to communicate with any Overwatch members at all. I'm high on what she calls the shit list. You however..."

The old grizzled soldier shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Reyes is out there wreaking bloody havoc. We got a sniper who decided to martyr a damn Omnic. Then we have a person who has ties to Talon mysteriously killed. A person... who is a cyborg. You look guilty, Angela. How are you involved?"

The angelic doctor shifted uncomfortably. "I saved that woman from death. Pieces of her body were missing so I filled it with what I had left. Prosthesis lying around. I used some metal to fill in the large gaps. Thankfully with nanobots, I was able to encourage the skin to try to grow over some of the remaining gaps."

"Like that Fifth Element movie?" the old soldier asked.

Angela looked blankly at him. "That movie is old... Even by your standards. But yes. Inspired by my apprentice, I used electricity as the catalyst to encourage her body to protect itself. It worked and repaired some of her nerves that were damaged. A little oversensitive but there was supposed to have been additional procedures."

"Procedures?"

She nodded stiffly. "We were going to try to gradually remove pieces of the metal and encourage more organic growth. But I miscalculated."

"How so?"

"I expected her to want to go back to her life but she said she'd rather be dead. She didn't care that she had a family left. She didn't want them to see her reduced to a patchwork human forced in a metal shell. Brigitte hated what I had done to her and refused outright to contact me at all. It was only later when I managed to send Genji along did we manage to establish communications. But the damage was done. She was not quite human and not quite Omnic. She was a mockery of a cyborg." She paused as she thought on their current situation. "Maybe if she knew about Reaper targeting Overwatch agents, she would have helped. She would have tried to live or at least, send a message out."

Jack Morrison rolled his eyes. "What is this connection between this angry cyborg and Sally? You're so god damn vague."

Sally meanwhile had fingered the sunglasses resting upon her face tentatively. She never expected to be caught in a situation like blinding herself so she did not have a pair on hand. She was able to see if there was at least a good deal of darkness so the shading helped. While at the store, they had gotten Gabriel slightly less conspicuous clothing so that he did not stick out. "You look mysterious with sun glasses," he commented carefully. He felt on edge as they walked through the shopping center. Although it was starting to get dark, there was a few cars just parked there with their patrons talking in the lot. Not an ideal situation when everyone could be trigger happy.

"And you look dangerous with your posture. Like you would devour the first punk who tried to start something," she replied as she checked her phone. The call she had received earlier was from a private line but without a voice mail, she had no way of knowing who it was.

"It's all about projecting who you want to be seen as. You do it too, even if you don't think about it." Gabriel noticed out of the corner of his eyes that they were being watched and muttered under his breath. "Vamos a otro lado."

Sally blinked at him before looking around. She never mentioned to him that she did understand Spanish and many languages due to the fact the electricity within her sped up her comprehension of many subjects considerably but she figured he knew since he never clarified and she never asked him to. "They are just some thugs, Gabriel. Let's go."

"They'll shoot your precious car if we go to it. We can lure them away and..."

"You can't just kill them," she glared as she put her hands on her hips. "Death isn't always the answer."

"And why isn't it? They want to kill you. It's obvious," he growled as he put his hands on her shoulders to force her to understand. "Look. You're going to be pissed at me, but you were a damn medic. You had some military training and own a gun. That's cool but I've been a commander in a covert ops unit. I've been on multiple battlefields. These kids want to kill you for some reason."

"This isn't a damn battlefield," she hissed back in annoyance. "This is a small, peaceful town or was before your Talon friends decided to fuck it up hunting down some solitary cyborg. Look, Gabriel, I know this might be hard to understand but..."

A gunshot rang out and by instinct, he shoved her away. She winced in protest as he put a great deal of strength into it and it caused her to slam into a wall. She noted however the bullet had traveled right between where they were seconds ago. "You were saying?" he hissed darkly as he drew his shotguns. "You little shits will pay for that with your souls!"

Her left fist tightened and she drew electricity to it. "Okay... What the hell was that about?"

"You shouldn't have come back," a man with a mask said as he was flanked by a squadron of people who barely looked out of their teens. They all had hoods up to obscure their identities. "Someone like you is the only reason our precious town was targeted. We know that well."

"I never wanted to return to this cesspool of ignorance," Sally barked harshly as she reached for her gun. "Look, don't blame me. I arrived here afterwards."

"If you're gone... They'll leave us alone," the leader muttered before waving towards them. "Kill both of them."

Reaper smirked darkly as he ran towards them with his guns in his hands. Sally shrieked as a bullet barely missed him and he sidestepped another to shoot one of the thugs in the side of the head. The blood spurt did not even touch Reaper as he turned to swing the other gun towards someone sneaking on him. Stunned by the blunt blow, he blew off the thug's head and laughed darkly. "Come at Death and see what he brings," he mocked the youths.

Sally was fixated though on the sight before her. Little glowing orbs were exiting the bodies of the recently slaughtered and followed Reaper. Because he did not have his mask or jacket on, he had a great deal more skin exposed than normal so the orbs went to his arms easily and inserted themselves in. It was almost akin to how it looked like pushing beads into quicksand as his body absorbed them easily. She noticed his expression darkened with the more blood he spilt and the more of these orbs he absorbed. It did not take long until there was only the leader left. Sally found herself finally able to move and frowned. _Why did it seem like I couldn't? Was I scared? Of them? Of... Gabriel? Maybe the killing intent he projected threw me off. Even if he protected me?_

"Now, why are you attacking her?" The mercenary roared as he grabbed the man. His gloves' metallic claw like tips were cutting into the throat of his victim and he received a deranged chuckle for his trouble.

"She told us to protect her... But fuck her. She hated the town and the people. Both of them did. So fuck it. Kill what is useless to the town. They both thought us useless. But soon..."

The man was cut off by a single bullet to the skull. The point of impact was smoking and burning from high speeds. Reaper glanced backwards to see Sally holster her gun. Electricity was sparking through her right hand and weapon before she clenched her fist to make it dissipate. "You use your power to amplify your shots? Nice."

"And you eat souls or at least, life force?" she said firmly as she pointed to the dead bodies around them. "How am I going to find out anything about your condition or help you if you don't tell me about this? Disgusting as it is, I'm still going to help you."

"If it offends your delicate sensibilities, I won't force you," he said abrasively. "Heaven forbid the innocent medic gets her hands dirty and..."

Sally reached for Gabriel's head between her two hands and held him by his cheeks for a moment. "You weren't hurt, were you?"

He shook his head. He was blood splattered but none of it was his. Putting away his guns, he noted she just stood there close with him, just watching him. It took a while before he realized what she was going through. Her body was experiencing a slight adrenaline rush and with the addition of her electricity, it was likely sending confusing signals to her brain. _Even with military training, she likely never killed anyone. It's one thing to shoot to disarm and another to shoot to kill in cold blood._ He lowered his voice carefully, unsure as to how she would handle a first kill. "Sally?"

Her fingers ran down his face to the blood dripping off his visage. She looked at it, stunned almost. "You did this to protect me..."

He scoffed and sets his jaw. "Well of course I did." She still stared at the blood now on her hand and he did not know what came over him but he snatched her hand and placed her bloody fingertips into his mouth. The taste of the blood reminded him of battle and when his tongue came into contact with her skin, he almost smirked as her eyes widened slightly and her skin flushed.

"Gabriel," she whined slightly but did not pull back her hand.

He pulled her closer as he cleanses her hand of the blood and smirks at her. Lifting up her sun glasses, he stares into her blue eyes and sees them cloud slightly as he continues his action with her other hand. She swallows the lump in her throat and cannot help but lick her own lips. Reaper himself felt seized with an urging he did not have for a while. Blood lust was powerful but the brief skirmish only whetted his appetite. The souls he had consumed in front of her no longer were on his mind as he watched her reaction to his ministrations. Her eyes were becoming hooded and she tilted her head towards his. "Te deseo," he groaned lowly as he could smell her perfume mixing with the blood around them. Before they could get closer, a frantic beeping was heard and the mercenary grunted in annoyance. "This is important," he muttered in annoyance before flipping the cell phone on. "Reaper."

"You must be having fun in such a dead, small town," a bored voice called over the phone. Sally frowned as she listened to it.

_Why does that voice sound so familiar?_

"Get to the point," Reaper hissed darkly in annoyance as he held the medic in his arms.

"You look rather cozy to the next target we were going to assign you. Strange isn't it? Must be a killer instinct," the voice continued with a drawl.

"Actually, we were negotiating a contract. After all, Talon doesn't own me or my actions. Any mission I'm given I have to approve. I finished the last one and thus..."

"But are you really going to throw away a partnership with our organization over pursuits of the flesh, Reaper?" the voice snickered. "After all, didn't think you were into necrophilia. But then again..."

Before a response could be shot back, Sally plucked the phone from Gabriel's hand. "I am negotiating with Reaper. Any contracts you want with him will wait after mine are done."

"Ah yes. Salvation. Been a while, darling."

Sally froze. Outside of Overwatch, who knows my agent name? "Do I know you?"

"It seems not," the voice almost sounded disappointed. "I was wondering what drew you back to this town you abandoned. I thought you knew."

"What are you going on about?"

"You picked an interesting client, Reaper. Maybe I'll let her live for now. See how... useful she is to Talon." The voice hung up and Sally stared at the black phone in her hands before gazing at the man holding her.

"I don't know what that was about," she muttered before pointing at him with an angry finger. "But I'm going to hire you so you don't do whatever it is that vile man has planned."

Reaper's eyebrow rose in amusement as he chuckled. "You would hire me? That would cost quite a bit and..."

"Trust me. I can pay for you," she said dismissively. "But you aren't going to be this touchy while I have you hired."

"Don't think I'm worth it?" he hissed back, almost hurt.

"Contrary. I refuse to pay for what I see is priceless. Friendships... and more. Those are worth an undeniable amount to me," she responded as she rested her head on his chest. "And while I have you hired, I cannot compromise it with something as foolish as money." She patted his chest before motioning for him to follow. "I've had enough of this place. Come. We need to drive to my next conference."

"Driving?" he said perplexed. "Granted, it's easier for me to not take a plane but driving?"

"I can have a gun, be with my baby, and..." She smiled slightly. "Enjoy some of the scenery with my new colleague."

"I never agreed to be hired," he said gruffly as he followed her to the Tesla.

"You're the one who brought up negotiating contracts," she reminded him in a sing song voice. "Now, buckle up."

"Oh yes. The whole drive safely thing," he groaned as he expected to be lectured the minute he sat in the car.

What he did not realize is that the minute his butt touched the leather interior of the car, she already had started the automobile and had it in motion before he could even try to reach for the seatbelt, the car already was bursting out of the parking lot. "Oh cheer up, Gabriel. I'll even let you pick the music for the drive."

His head turned slowly to the overly cheerful tone that did not match with the aggressive driving and swerving he had the misfortune to witness first hand. "AC/DC," he managed to grit out from his teeth as he finally secured the seat belt and was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

She hummed approvingly. "Good choice. Knew we had good shit in common." Selecting the music, she smiled happily as "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" came on and despite it all, Gabriel could not help but look forward to the drive.

_Being around this woman is like walking through a minefield blind. Explosive... Frustrating... Exhilarating... Destructive... And did she really just run over a skunk?_ "Maldito," he swore as Sally put up the car's roof.

"Lo siento," she apologized with a grimace. "Didn't see it."

"You ran over the fucking thing head on."

"Good. That means my precious car won't stink."

"I'm more worried about stinking. After you impacted it, it fell to the side that I was closer to and its tail started to lift and..."

"Oh shush, city boy." He was about to retort again until he saw her smile.

_She looks so happy and peaceful. Maybe this won't be so bad._

"Move your fucking ass out of the passing lane if you go 20 under the limit," she started shrieking loudly at the car in front of her.

_...Well, it'll be interesting. At this rate, I'll still get to kill people._


	7. Unwilling Participant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, information about the mysterious cyborg!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This puts this story at over 20k words :)

Reaper stepped out of the Tesla, carefully locking it before joining his patron inside the fancy luxury hotel that served to host the conference. Sally had refused to use a concierge to park her car and instead gave Gabriel the keys with the parting words of "drive carefully." He was just grateful she said it only once before enclosing the keys in his hands but he did note how her hands lingered on his longer than normal.

Walking into the hotel, he noted Sally with a displeased expression on her face as she tried to talk to the manager. "Ma'am, in the past you only needed one of the beds in the suite. Unfortunately, the whole hotel is booked up. The bed however is large enough to where you could share with your... companion." Neither of the former Overwatch agents missed the tone of insinuation in the employee's voice.

Wanting to head off Sally's temper potentially flaring and causing any unnecessary issues, Reaper strode over and put on his best intimidating smile. It was not difficult though as almost any expression on his grim visage would suffice but he added a bit more effort for Sally's benefit. "Is there a problem, Miss Jones?" He did not even have to look to know that he had startled the employee. Aside from a hood and mask, Sally had no problem with him keeping his _mercenary get up_ as it did a good job as dissuading trouble. His pale skin accentuated by his very dark veins were off putting and he knew his remark pointed out that they were not here as a couple.

"It seems one of us will be without a bed, Reyes," she said in a blunt tone. Gabriel did not take offense to the formality as he knew she was reinforcing the fact he was in her employ. "I had called a week in advance to try to secure the additional accommodation but pity. We have to do without, I suppose."

"There has to be a couch, right?" he asked and he received a swift nod from the frantic employee. _That is still preferred to sleeping on the ground... Not like I truly require sleep anyway. That is a luxury for the living._ "Problem solved."

She rolled her eyes and held her hand out. "Two key cards then. And what good is money if you can't get what you paid for?" she let out with a well practiced, condescending tone.

"We're so sorry, Miss Jones!" the manager practically flew out of the back. "We can send a complimentary dinner for your stay and..."

"Send that to the poor homeless digging through your dump bins," she replied coldly as she took the key cards. "Let's go, Reyes. Time is wasting."

He waited until they were out of earshot before he started to snicker. "You're rather good at playing a snob."

She shook her head but he saw a slight smile creep up on her face. "Who says I'm playing?" she replied back. "Besides, the room is still comfortable from what I've heard."

They took the elevator to the top and opened the door. They both went inside to look it over. He gave a low whistle as he looked around. "That looks like a full kitchen too. Television visible from the dining area and a sound system. Looks nice... but no couch." _Do people here think couches are a plebeian thing?_

Sally peeked from the spacious, marble bathroom with a raised eyebrow. "Seriously?"

They both combed the luxury suite. The bedroom had a massive bed and a television of its own but sure enough, not a single couch in the entire suite. "Well... I could take a few blankets from housekeeping and nest in that huge master bathroom. You see that tub?"

Sally shook her head. "No. You're going in the bed. We can share. Just stay on your side." She motioned to it. "Where do you sleep?"

"In the middle," he replied with a snort. "I'm not used to sleeping with another person."

"We'll have to make due," she shrugged as she flopped on it. "Besides, it's only two weeks."

"Only she says," he mutters lowly as he sat on a nearby chair. He started to clean his shotguns out of habit. Disassembling them was always a good way to relax. "Want me to order some take-out?"

"In about twenty minutes. Surprise me. I'm going to shower," she replied as she opened up her luggage. He could barely believe how much clothing she managed to shove inside her luggage but at the same time, she dragged him to several department stores to stock up on more clothing for both of them. Before he could respond to her query, she already had flipped on some music and departed. Heavy metal began to surge from the surround sound and he smiled. One would think such a pacifist medic would be into classical music only or something peaceful. He had actually heard the classics in her music collection but she had a lot more rock and metal to the point he became more curious about her. Many of the songs, while catchy, did have a deeper meaning to them and many times he was pondering why she would pick such an eclectic mix of music. "I feel like... Mexican food," he mused as he turned on the suite's computer to look up a place for take out. He had barely placed his order when he saw an unusual text message on his phone. A text alone was enough to make his cautious and he could think of only one person who would have his number.

" _Something is amiss."_

Meanwhile, Widowmaker put down her phone and frowned at the file she was looking over. It was disappointing to be given a mission, be in the middle of learning about the prey just to have the mission snatched away. She had even had to agree to a photoshoot from one of Talon's many deviants in order to secure the information as their leader only wanted to release piece by piece to the French woman. Once however leadership declared the assignment no longer active, she was confused and rather annoyed. No one took a mission away from the sniper. No one. How else was she to feel alive?

She flipped through the photographs in the file, intrigued slightly. She recognized the woman now. It was a great many years since she saw her in person but she remembered well. Amelie had been looked over and even remembered to be kindly to the medic. The medic however had viewed her with very suspicious eyes and had warned all of them. The only one who seemed to take her seriously was the Blackwatch Commander, Gabriel Reyes. Closing her eyes, she remembered it all with a victorious smirk.

"You can't just release her out of the infirmary!" Salvation sputtered in anger as she motioned towards a timid, delicate Amelie Lacriox. "She was just rescued from Talon. They could have done god knows what to her. This is foolish. You can't just trust her fresh from that hell!"

The French woman's husband sneered at her. "I think I know my precious Amelie better than some second hand doctor. I am not some green agent without field experience. I've dealt with Talon before." He reached for his wife's hand and kissed her knuckles lovingly. "We're leaving. Commanders. Angela." His eyes narrowed as he addressed the last medic. "Salvation," he sneered as he turned away.

"You don't understand," Salvation tried again. She had to restrain the electricity that wanted to just paralyze and force the patient to stay. "Talon. When they have you, they fuck with your mind. That woman... might not be your wife anymore."

Commander Morrison looked skeptical. "Sally. You're taking this a bit too seriously."

"Relax," Mercy added dismissively. "I evaluated her myself."

"But..." She tried again but frowned as they all closed themselves off to her. Almost all of them were walking away, escorting the French couple. Remaining however, was the Blackwatch Commander who had remained silent until now.

"How do you know Talon's methods and why so certain?"

She smiled sadly and looked at Commander Reyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Mercy was being apologetic while Morrison was trying to calm the Lacriox couple. "I don't know. But I just know."

Widowmaker had smiled as she blinked, clearing her mind of the memory. It was most delicious, proving her husband wrong and leaving for Talon. Back then she had wondered how the medic knew something was amiss. But now it all made sense.

"You can leave Talon but Talon doesn't leave you," she smiled as she delicately cleaned her gun. She looked at her phone and noted no response but was not bothered by it in the slightest. "I wonder what he will do when he finds out."

Reaper however did not want to ignore Widowmaker's text but the message was so vague. _I have no time to play detective with that woman._ He was instead, assaulted with boredom. In an attempt to kill time, he had taken apart both shotguns and cleaned them. He even had done the same to Sally's own weapon, but he would not ever tell her that. He perked up hearing someone at the door. "Must be the food... But that seems fast," he murmured as he glanced towards the bathroom. Sally was still showering and it was at his insistence that she leave the door open in case something were to happen. She had rolled her eyes at the time but allowed it. A smile crept up on her face after though, teasing him that if he wanted to look he could but then he fired back that per agreement, nothing of that sort would happen while she paid him.

Reaper had barely gotten up and headed to the door when it started to open automatically. He reached for his shotguns cautiously as he knew that the takeout staff, not being part of the hotel offerings, would never have a key card. He had stalked over to the door and had his guns ready when they were met with a pulse rifle. "You!" hissed the white haired soldier as he went inside the room with a combat roll. His fingers were itching to click the trigger on the rifle as he glared at the murderer in front of him.

"Is this all Overwatch sends at me? Old men past their glory days?" Reaper taunted and he smirked seeing the soldier hesitate. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost, pendejo."

"Gabriel? What's going on?" Sally called from the bathroom in confusion. The door being opened allowed her to hear some of the ruckus and it worried her.

"Nothing. Just relax," he replied back as he smirked towards Soldier: 76 with murderous intent. _Well... today definitely is interesting. I wonder if I'll find out what happened between these two._ "Well Jack Morrison, why so silent?"

"Gabriel? Gabe... You're the Reaper." He almost put down his pulse rifle but he steeled himself and attempted to bludgeon his former friend with it. The other man however saw the move coming and blocked it with both his shotguns crossed.

Gabriel smirked as he stared him down. "Of course. What did you expect me to look like after you've tried to kill me?" He motioned to his skin. "Did Angela tell you how she fucked it up? How she failed to heal me? Or did she heal you alone and never mention her failure? That sounds like her. Miss Perfection. All the flaws hidden away."

"Don't talk about Mercy like that," Jack hissed in anger. "She at least tried. I would have even tried. Despite our differences... Despite the fact you tried to take Overwatch apart..."

"It should have been mine to begin with," Reaper roared in anger. "Or you could have tried to give my Blackwatch a little support. A little credit. A little something."

"And it is shit like that which shows why you couldn't lead Overwatch," Jack ranted but before either could continue, a throat clearing caught both of their attentions.

Sally stood between them, in a towel bathrobe, looking at the both of them. "This is unexpected," she finally said in a clipped tone.

"Agent Salvation," Soldier: 76 breathed a sigh of relief but then he noticed that she did not seem at all uncomfortable standing near an armed and dangerous Reaper. Instead, she leveled a withering glare towards him. "You..." He motioned towards his former friend with his pulse rifle. "Him..."

"I hired him," she finished as she held out her hand for her gun. Gabriel handed over her Desert Eagle and she frowned. "Did you take apart my gun?"

He gave a sheepish look and half shrugged. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize... It feels better. Thank you," she smiled as she began to play with it in her hands as she glanced at the other soldier. "So, Commander Morrison?"

"Yes?"

"Why the fuck did you break into my suite?"

He grimaced slightly as he stared down the two who seemed at ease with each other. _What an odd pair._ At least for the room, Gabriel had taken off the hood and mask that made his Reaper persona while the squeaky clean image he remembered from Sally Jones had tumbled straight to the gutter seeing her in a robe. _Oh the memories..._ Finally, he cleared his throat as he decided to try to ignore Reaper and instead, addressed Sally. "I wanted to warn you."

Sighing, Sally went over to a nearby chair and sat, her leg flipping the robe slightly. Both men eyed her legs appreciatively despite the mood of the meeting. "Look, I think I've been forewarned enough to avert any attack. And do you mind?" she scowled towards the former Overwatch commander as she noted that despite his visor, his body language was all too apparent.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before," the old soldier pointed out dismissively. The frown he got was nothing compared to the sudden rage from his former friend. The man abandoned his shotguns and had pinned Jack to the wall by his throat.

"What was that?" Reaper hissed dangerously. Every cell in his body already despised Soldier: 76 but now, they wanted to rip him into nonexistence.

"And she looks exactly the same as back then," Jack goaded but Reaper increased the pressure.

"Gabriel, release the fool. He isn't worth our time," Sally said softly. He felt her hands rest on his right arm and he slackened his grip. Jack Morrison collapsed on the floor as he tried to get the feeling back into his throat. "And you," she hissed in annoyance. "I am sick of Overwatch butting in. If you want me to listen, you will sit in on the _whole_ conference I give. Gabriel will keep an eye on you. He has to come with me since I hired him."

Gabriel nodded and steeled himself as he noticed a look in her eyes. _She's planning something..._

"You will go with us. Wait next to him the whole time. No pulling out guns at each other. No loud bickering. No drawing attention or getting the other killed. I'm not a fool to forget all your fights. If I didn't know any better, I'd assume it was unresolved sexual tension."

The mortified look on both of their faces only fueled the grin on the doctor's. "Not funny," Reaper hissed darkly as he crossed his arms.

"You definitely know better than to ever believe that," Soldier: 76 stated in a matter of fact tone that put his former friend even more on edge. "But I agree. I've been through war. I've survived apparent death. Whatever this convention or lecture or whatever is... I'm there."

"You don't have to treat it like a mission, Jack." The soldier tensed at Reaper's dark tone. "That's my job."

The two former commanders stared each other down before Morrison backed off, knowing agitating the mercenary would likely make Salvation less likely to listen to him. "When do I come back here?"

"Tomorrow at noon. Eat some lunch before hand. The session starts at 1:00pm. Sit through the whole convention and we'll talk. I won't go back to Overwatch, but I'll hear you out."

He seemed to brighten behind his visor. "You won't regret it, Salvation."

"You already are making me," she retorted harshly. "This is more than I ever owed you. Now leave. Gabriel, when does the food get here?" A tentative knock at the door made Sally motion towards Soldier: 76. "Well? Leave. You don't get any."

He rolled his eyes behind the visor even if they could not see it as he departed. The delivery boy stared at the grizzled soldier passing him. He practically squeaked seeing the rifle in the man's hands before the former commander merely walked to the window and jumped out. His head turned slowly to the room's occupants and he almost bugged out. The woman in the bathrobe almost absorbed his attention until he saw the very dangerous looking, very territorial looking man. The worker almost voided himself when he saw the shotguns the man was wielding. He placed the food on a nearby table and yelped, "Gratis!" before scampering away.

Gabriel chortled as he closed the door and looked over the food. "Good. Here. You'll enjoy this."

"Gabriel...?" Sally asked as she looked over the food handed to her. Over the past week, they had eaten quite a variety of foods but they had not had any Mexican food yet. "What is this?"

"Chicken mole. You'll like it. It even came with rice," he motioned towards the food as they went to the dining area. He rolled his eyes at the literal silver silverware in the drawers. "I wanted to get you something you never had before. I know you're picky but you'll like this. Worse case scenario, I would eat it myself." They both settled at the dining table, not even bothering to put away the guns and Sally figured she might as well just eat despite being in a bathrobe.

"How generous of you," she laughed as she used a spoon to cut a piece of chicken then scooped some rice. Taking a bit, she paused and laid down the spoon.

"Sally?"

"That is one of the best things I have ever eaten," she said quietly as she began to eat more. "Can you order some more tomorrow?"

"Of course," he chuckled as he cut into his tamales. "But what about Morrison?"

"Fuck him," she said briefly as she swallowed another bite of chicken and rice. "He can get his own food."

"I've been meaning to speak with you about him," Gabriel said quietly. He saw her slow down eating slightly but the anger and hatred that showed last time did not resonate in her eyes. Instead, weariness and resignation were present. "What happened between you two?"

Her appetite waned and she put down her silverware with an awkward clatter. "Jack Morrison's results from the Soldier Enhancement showed he had developed a great empathy with others. According to the file, he instinctively knew how to rouse the troops and encourage. He was more intune with what he could say to cheer everyone up. His brain had developed a little bit."

Gabriel mused over her words slightly. "When I first met him... He was far from stupid. But I did notice he did become more articulate."

"Exactly. His intelligence noticeably increased and he became more aware of social situations. He also... fit what I saw an ideal male was at the time."

"Oh?" Gabriel had a hard time restraining the mixture of interest and irritation. "Go on."

"Understand this. It doesn't represent my tastes now."

"Just get on with it, woman!" he barked a bit more harshly before seeing the wince in her eyes. He cut some of his tamale and placed it on her plate in apology.

She smiled at him and nibbled at the tamale. Swallowing it approvingly, she continued her tale. "Daddy helped me get into Overwatch. He had connections he said. Sure enough, I find myself on the doorstep of headquarters at the tender age of twenty two."

"Wait," Gabriel put down his fork and stared at her. "That would have meant you are twenty years younger than me. But you still look like you're in your twenties."

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. My electricity helps me revitalize my body constantly, keeping me younger. I was hoping to try something similar with yours in hopes of making your body a bit... livelier."

He scoffed darkly. "You're welcome to try. Anyways, continue."

"Despite you and Morrison's age, the Soldier Enhancement kept your bodies... young, taut, and desirable. Things that a young woman with little experience could not help but admire and, call it naive, want." She noted Gabriel's raised eyebrow. "He embodied many of the traits at the time that I found attractive in a male I wanted to seek out. He was very open and friendly but at the same time, powerful. He was very lean and looked like a good boy. To an innocent and inexperienced me, he was perfect."

"So how did you see me?" Gabriel grunted out bitterly. "A monster like now?"

"Don't call yourself that ever again," she said softly. "I'm not discounting your looks back then. Just... what I thought was ideal, you were not at the time. You were closed off and quiet. You gave off a powerful aura but also a dangerous one. How did the young ones call it? The bad boy vibe."

He groaned into his tamales. "They still say that kind of shit."

"Anyways, I was drawn to Morrison. He noticed and I thought he reciprocated my feelings."

Gabriel frowned as he recalled something. "He warned us off from pursuing you. We thought he was going to try for himself and it is rude to try to go after a girl a guy likes if you're friends."

She growled in anger. "That bastard! I had told him I felt like no one wanted me since no one went up to me. He told me he found me interesting and that the other men were fools who didn't know what was in front of them. Took me out on what I thought were dates." She paused and sighed as her hurt tone continued. "He... people change when they have power and influence. It goes to your head. Doesn't matter how pure, innocent, or good your intentions. That stuff changes people."

Reaper could not disagree. He became twisted by his jealousy and used his department against its parent organization to spite his best friend. "Are you exempt from this?"

She sighed. "No. The events after your _death_ were the hardest in my life. I kept drinking and drinking for a bit but the electricity would burn the alcohol out. I did a ton of stupid things. And I loathed myself. Through the drunkenness, I could feel my mind angry at me for reducing myself to an embarrassing, useless mess of a human. I threw myself into other things. I wanted... to heal." She paused and looked at Gabriel. He was watching her carefully and looked skeptical when she grabbed the hand that was holding his plate. He did not shrug off the physical contact though and rubbed her hand with his thumb. "You in a way inspired me to, if I could not surpass Mercy, to at least do some good in the world. Indisputable good. It's why I give various talks. It's why I research and write in medical journals available around the world. Your _death_ made me want to be a better person and I felt pissing it away was terrible. I started a spoiled brat coming into Overwatch. To me, getting more funding was as easy as dialing Daddy on the phone. I thought having the Commander desire me physically was great at the time."

Gabriel saw her head tip forward slightly. He squeezed her hand and she returned the gesture. "Sally..."

She sniffled and he felt angry at the fact that Jack Morrison caused her to cry but also was angry at himself for being an indirect cause with his probing questions. "He became obsessed with having what he wanted. Didn't matter if I was in the mood. Oh no, he never forced me but the guilt. The fucking guilt. Sometimes, it was just easier to cave. Not like it was unpleasant but just not want I wanted to do at the time. Just not the right mood." She went towards the kitchen and pulled out a couple beers. She threw one over to the mercenary who looked at the label with approval. "He wielded his damn pouting lip better than a rifle. I meant so much to him because he had no time for anyone else." She sipped the bitter alcohol and had a cynical smile on her face. "I was the convenient lay when he was at the base." She paused, debating if she should stop but then blazed on. "At first, I thought it flattering. He would always come back to me. He came to me when he wanted me and I never saw him aggressive, angry, or in a mood. I never had to deal with the negative. I thought it was perfect."

"You don't get to know a person that way," Reaper said knowingly. He wished he went against Jack's promise to not approach the medic. If he knew the kind of mindset she had, he would have broken that for her own sake. "You have to take the good and the bad."

"I wish my younger self knew that," she replied with a smile that did not reach her eyes. "I wish I knew. I was such a fucking idiot. Doesn't matter if I can think fast if my stubborn mind makes it up that I knew better. I thought I was above that. Avoided entanglements in high school and college because they were inferior."

"When you put it that way, you sound like an arrogant snob."

"I am still an arrogant snob," she pointed out. "I just... hope I'm doing some good despite it all."

"I think you are."

Sally smiled at Gabriel. "And I want to help everyone. And you. Especially you, Gabriel. You don't know what you've done for me and I'm thankful for it." She paused as she saw something unusual near the door. Reaching it, she saw a little device and scowled. "Fucking Jack Morrison," she growled as she charged electricity into the device, overloading it.

The soldier in question grimaced and knew as he walked towards the hotel the next day, she would be in a severe mood. Sure enough, when he knocked on the door, Reaper opened it with a less than pleased expression that could be compared to the bluntness of the man's shotguns. "Get in. She's almost ready."

Soldier: 76 nodded and walked in. He had taken off his visor to stand out less but he still was far from normal looking. He had a very prominent slash down his face from the explosion but it did not detract from his looks. Instead, it made him look very striking but he knew all too well from the conversation he overheard that he could not use how he looked to influence the now jaded medic. When he saw her emerge from the master bedroom of the suite, his jaw locked as he saw the confidence she radiated. The black suit and red blouse underneath it made a powerful but commanding combination that she finished with a orange-red gemstone hung on a black lace necklace. He pointed at that with curiosity. "What's that?"

Sally raised an eyebrow as she motioned towards the jewellry. "It was regarded as a protective gemstone against evil thoughts and snake venom."

Gabriel snorted at the words as he saw his former friend pale. _Of course she tells him the traditional meaning and not the modern one._ "We good to go?"

Sally's eyes softened at Gabriel's words. "Yes. Let's go." She felt fluttery since the prior night. She had decided to go to sleep immediately right after eating and discovering the device Soldier: 76 planted out of frustration. What she did not count on was sleeping without having a nightmare grip her dreamscape for once.

Gabriel had gotten used to her, when she actually could sleep, having a nightmare. At first, she would yelp almost like an injured puppy before she would start crying. The first night on the road they spent together, she started yelling and choking on her tears before he could shake her awake. He had the hard time getting the sound of her sobs out of his ears the next night. Luckily, he did not have to shake her awake but instead, just the weight of his body on the bed and touching her face was enough to quiet her. The smile that crept on her face was enough to reassure him. He even remembered telling her he used to have nightmares but if he did and she had to comfort him, she never told him so. He had woken up before however to a smiling doctor presenting him with food despite him scolding her for leaving without waking him up.

Sleeping in the same bed however, made the experience different. Despite joking otherwise, he kept to the right of the bed. He chose so as she showed no preference but it would be the side best able to respond to a surprise attack. At the time, she was already asleep and he thought it would be easy since there was no fussing or movement. The minute he settled between the soft sheets of the luxury bed, he felt hyper aware of her. Her leg nudged his slightly, almost inquisitively. Through the pants he wore, he could feel slight muscle through it and felt her foot rubbing on his calf sleepily. It had chuckled at the time and nudged her back with his own foot. It did not take more than five more minutes for her to roll onto him. Unfortunately it was not the normal, roll into the arm and snuggle but rather, she rolled as if she was laying on him. It felt endearingly awkward as her back was on his chest and the back of her head inches from smacking his chin. He almost sneezed as her hair began tickling his nose. He felt her hair tease his chest as he moved her further. He preferred sleeping with no shirt on and this night was no different. "Gabriel," she whispered softly and clung to him before he could move her away from him.

He sighed as he realized he was stuck with her, nudged in the crook between his arm and chest. She hummed slightly in her sleep, nudging his chest with her nose and cheek almost happily. He felt like he was going in and out of sleep before he realized he put his arms around her and had started cradling her to his body. The feeling when they both woke up and she smiled back at him before they separated amicably was interesting. But not a bad sort of interesting. "Did you sleep well?" he had asked and was rewarded with a beaming smile.

"Never better."

Gabriel found himself roused out of his thoughts when the elevator they stepped into lurched slightly. Sally had snickered slightly at both of the former soldiers' reactions to the motion caused them to put a hand on their weapon. "Old reaction," both men responded before glaring at each other.

"I prefer this to taking the stairs," she explained with an all knowing smile. "Suites do tend to be near the top of hotels after all."

"Some of us have been living on the edge, worried for attacks. After all, when they come from our friends, they do hurt more," Soldier: 76 said bitterly.

Reaper did not seem affected by his words and instead, smirked back. "You would know about that, wouldn't you, Jack? Did you ever think about me or my division when we brought you something critical?"

"Gabriel, do we have to go over this _now_?"

Sally rolled her eyes as the two soldiers started to bicker. She however was amused at just how much space was given to her when traveling with two of the most dangerous men in the world. Her thought process was shaken somewhat when she received a vague text from a blocked number. She glanced to the two former friends but they were too entrenched in their argument to notice her mess with her phone. Opening the message, her eyebrow rose as she read it. " _You can leave Talon, but Talon doesn't leave you."_

The medic frowned and felt her forehead ache slightly. _What is this about?_

Widowmaker put down her phone and poured over the next file. She was appalled at what she had agreed to obtain further information but the journal of Brigitte Jones was a goldmine of information. The cyborg was paranoid it seems as an agent of Talon and had encrypted each and every entry. The French woman however had to learn how to do some basic hacking and code breaking at times to get into very hard to reach choice sniping locations and thus, enjoyed the challenge at her fingertips. The first entry was like a delicious bowl of bouillabaisse just waiting to be devoured.

" _Today, I fucked up. Salvation was not human for approximately ten minutes and twenty five seconds before reverting back. She became sentient electricity. The implications of her existing as a being of pure energy was enormous. She would be the most powerful weapon imaginable. The incident at Leipzig felt worth it. Until I realized that this was my flesh and blood and I tore that away from her. For those ten minutes, she did not have a human heart or flesh. I stole away her physical humanity. She however, kept her soul and she was howling in agony until she forced herself back through pure survival instinct. I could not speak to her out of shock. Afterwards, I took a blood sample and analyzed her. She is human. But can she stay human? What abomination did I create? I can't let Talon keep her."_

Widowmaker debated copying the file and sending it to the subject but decided against it. Rereading it a few times, she closed the file. She knew the encryption on it would shuffle and she would have to rehack to get a different entry. If she was unlucky, she might hack the same entry but she licked her lips in anticipation. "I shall know every secret about you, Brigitte Jones. Your daughter is a target for a reason and I soon will know. The chase is most exhilarating."

Sally shuddered and looked around with a frown. _Is someone watching me?_ She put it out of her mind however as she cleared her throat. The two former soldiers stopped squabbling and both looked at her patiently. "Alright gentlemen. Remember the rules."

"Yes, ma'am," both men droned as she leveled a dangerous look to both men.

"Good." She smiled slightly and patted both men's shoulders. "This won't take too long." She smiled as she directed them to a couple seats just out of sight of the stage. They could watch her defensively but still, not being the center of attention. "Show time," she said to herself as she bit her lip before going out on the stage.

"And now..." An announcer burst out happily on seeing the doctor. "Our guest of honor! As you all know, Ms. Sally Jones was a pioneer for many medical advancements out there in the world..."

"Jack," Gabriel grunted out as he watched her fidget on stage.

"Yeah?"

"Hurt her and I'll kill you for real," he threatened darkly as he stroked his shotguns.

"I should be more worried about you. Keeping a monster close at bay to combat the other monsters?"

Reaper winced slightly at the accusation. "I haven't done anything particularly monstrous lately." _Ever since that cyborg's soul, even that basic function has been feeling unfulfilling._

"No murdering of random small town citizens, killing an innocent cyborg, or stealing souls?" the old soldier fired back.

He sat there, watching his hands clench in anger. "Look. I'd still do that too but that is different situation entirely."

"Is it?"

"Speaking on the subject of Omnic-Human love, Ms. Sally Jones will discuss exactly how there can be a safe, beneficial relationship between two different types of being!"

Both soldiers snapped to attention. "Gabriel... What kind of conference is this?"

He shrugged. "I just get paid to wield the big guns and keep her safe."

"Hello everyone," Sally gave a winning smile. Shouts and excitement kept the room very loud.

"So, when her cash flow runs out, so does your loyalty?"

"Now, curiosity for relationships isn't just limited to one's own species is it?" Sally asked the room at large. She received a few whistles from the Omnic-Human relationships present. "Some may even argue how much more balanced it is than a traditional human-human relationship. Many Omnics do not seek relationships with each other beyond a familial one."

Jack twitched slightly. "So we're stuck listening to Salvation drone on about humans and Omnics having sex?"

Gabriel shrugged. "I tune out anything not useful to me."

"Do you think she is speaking from experience?"

"Look, it doesn't matter to me. Hell, she apparently slept with you. I'm sure an Omnic would be a step up from that."

The former Overwatch leader flinched. "That's cold, Gabe. We killed those mechanical demons."

"And now we live with them and treat them as people because, newsflash, they are people. Being of flesh and blood are just as dangerous as people with mechanical components and oil. Get over it. Don't be stuck in the past, old man." He massaged his temples. "This is going to be a painful week."

"And since I see many of you are unaware of safe and pleasurable positions for both types of people..." Sally chirped all too happily from the stage.

"God, this is going to be excruciating," as Soldier: 76 leaned against one of Reaper's shotguns, almost as if inviting the man to pull the trigger. Despite his hatred of his former friend, he could not help but snicker.

"But that would be too easy."

Before both of them knew it, they made it through Sally's part of the conference, at least for the day. She smirked at both of them as they looked at her wearily. "You survived."

"Could have warned me," the white haired soldier muttered.

"You could have paid attention to all the signage around," she stated dismissively before nudging Gabriel.

He merely stared back with a bored gaze. "What now?"

"Let's go. I intend to sleep," she said with a smile.

Reaper however was concerned. "You didn't always need sleep daily."

Soldier: 76 was confused by that though. "She did sleep though back in Overwatch. You're exaggerating."

Sally sighed as she went to head off yet another argument. "In those days, I was using my energy a lot more to heal and thus, I did need to recharge and replenish. When I don't do much activity, I don't need to sleep thanks to my electricity," she reminded the gruff Overwatch member with a dancing spark between her fingers.

"Forgot you could do that. Figured out how to do more with it than speed up healing and give pleasant tingles?"

"Can we go at least an hour without a reminder that you slept with her?" Reaper hissed in utter annoyance while Sally blinked in confusion.

"Did I miss something?" she looked between the two men. Even with her quick thinking, she was still perplexed what might have elapsed during her turn on stage.

"Nothing. Meet us at the room in two days," the mercenary reminded the vigilante and he grabbed Sally's hand and tugged her away. Still surprised, she allowed him to take her away while Soldier: 76 seemed to laugh.

_If making him jealous makes him realize these apparently smoldering feelings he's developed, I will feed his paranoia and territorial nature. Gabriel, you better do right by her. I may have messed up but I don't want things to turn out bad for her._

Sally Jones was still curious about where her guardian's sudden overprotectiveness came from as he ushered her up the stairs instead of the elevator. "I don't want to hear complaints about the distance. It's great exercise and you're in good shape so this should be no problem."

She merely nodded at the near-almost-not-a-compliment. "Where did this come from?"

He stopped after a floor and looked at her. "I hate hearing him talk about you. Jack doesn't know shit about anything anymore. He's so out of touch but when he brings you up..." The hand not holding hers was clenching a fist in anger.

"Gabriel, that's part of my past and I cannot change it like how you cannot change that," she pointed out softly. "Trust me, I would have done things differently but hindsight is a bitch."

"You don't need to comfort me. Everyone always wants the golden boy," he hissed resentfully.

Sally stopped, forcing Gabriel to stop as well. His dark eyes examined her critically as she touched his face slowly with her free hand. "I don't."

"Then what do you want?" He asked hoarsely. Inside, he was afraid of the answer as he was battling his inner demons. _What does it matter? We can take what we want! She will be ours. Whether she wills it or..._

Sally made up her mind quickly as she closed the distance between them, giving him a firm kiss before pulling back. "You're thinking too much," she said softly as she nudged him with her nose. "I wanted to wait until after the conference but you keep doubting yourself. Stop that, Gabriel."

Reaper however was still collecting his mental jaw off the ground before smiling slightly. "I could use a bit more convincing," he purred darkly as he pulled her towards him. The dark voice inside his head forgotten as Sally obliged and curled within his arms. He however took the initiative to meet her lips with his own and felt her responding eagerly to his ministrations. He even gently nipped her lower lip, asking for permission but before he could truly taste her mouth, one of the stairways' doors opened. Both of them separated instantly, out of breath and even Gabriel's pale visage was flushed slightly. "Maybe... we should head back to the room?" he suggested with a laugh.

Sally chuckled as she held his hand. "I would dislike to get kicked out of the conference for indecent exposure."

This caused him to raise an eyebrow as he contemplated the meaning of her words and the dark voice inside him purred happily. _She is ours then with no extra effort. Perfect... And if Morrison even dares to look at her..._ Gabriel clenched her hand tightly as if his remaining life depended on it. _Why does this woman make me feel this way?_


	8. So, Talk?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More bickering, information, and beer. Enjoy!

Gabriel put on his jacket and scowled when he saw the time. _That bastard is due any second now. I swear if he tries anything..._ Sally was humming as she laced up her boots and the sight made him smile. Neither of them were ready at the time to progress their relationship past kissing for different reasons. Even their kisses were rather tame compared to what both had experienced in the past, but both were alright with this. Sally still had a sour outlook on relationships thanks to a certain Jack Morrison and was trying to get used to having someone in close proximity to her for a good deal of time. She may be a in a position where she needed to do a lot of speaking, but she was a true introvert at heart. Gabriel however was having difficulty restraining his darker intentions and he knew the medic was too kind when it came to him that he feared she would have no limit to what she would say yes to in regards to him. While part of him was happy at being accepted, he had to exercise considerable restraint to not just take what he wanted out of consideration for the one person who tried for his sake.

Simple kisses were exchanged between the two and they held each other while sleeping but nothing else was progressed. Rather than feel frustrated, both felt peaceful. Just knowing they had the other was enough to make Soldier: 76's entrance into their room feel less apocalyptic. "Hey Gabe. Miss Sally."

Reaper nodded silently as he motioned towards a chair. He managed to dial back the glare he wanted to give his former friend as he knew that would feed the inner monster. Sally gave a small wave then turned her attention back to her shoes. "You're earlier than expected."

The old soldier shrugged. "Got nothing else to do." _And it's true. I can't do anything beneficial to Overwatch while over here so why try?_

Sally laughed as she handed both former soldiers beers that she and Gabriel had stocked up the night prior. "You'll need this then."

The former commander never turned down alcohol but he looked skeptically at it while his former friend just opened the can and began consuming it. "Why?"

The smirk Sally gave was borderline evil. "I'm sitting in on a five hour panel."

"Fuck me," Jack hissed as he cracked open the can. The spark in the medic's eye just solidified the need to drink. "Is the topic more tolerable?"

She shrugged. "Med-speak kind of things. Likely boring to you two." She gave a sharp look towards them however. "But you're not allowed to sleep."

"That would be too easy," he groaned as he crushed a now empty can in his hand. "What will we do during that time?"

"I brought cards if you aren't interested in exchanging stories," the former Blackwatch leader grunted in annoyance. "I just want to get through this and she won't allow me to kill you for some reason."

"And here I thought you'd be interested in what I have to say," Sally teased him with a light pat on the arm.

"I am but I don't like splitting my attention between you and those that don't matter to me." The words made her beam happily at him. "You're beautiful when you do that."

"When did you become so charming?" The white haired soldier remarked. "Multiple compliments to boot."

"Shut up, Morrison," Gabriel hissed until they were both being tugged along by an impatient Sally.

"Let's go. Time is wasting, gentlemen."

She was trying to be upbeat to distract from the unusual text message she received. It felt silly to bother Gabriel about it when he was obviously making an effort to not be homicidal at her own conference. The words though caught her attention and made her headache. " _What was it like not being human?"_

Widowmaker tossed her phone to the side after sending the message. She felt like a cat that got into the cream. Another journal entry unlocked revealed more tantalizing information. "You hide so much, such a shock."

" _Today, when I brought in a hostage for her to interrogate, she was almost gleeful with anticipation. There was even a crackle of lightning between her brown locks, bless her soul. She had been there when I restrained him and even tested the rope herself with eagerness. After asking a few questions, the fool dared mouth off to Salvation. She reminded him how much of the human body was composed of water before putting her hand to the man's eyes and letting loose with power. I am so proud of her. The man obviously did not expect something like that from a young child and had screamed in agony. After a minute, she stopped and smiled, saying the smoke from his eyes was most becoming. Her capacity for cruelty is most astonishing. When the man refused to say anything and instead, began to curse at her, Salvation shoved her hand into his mouth and released more power. He shrieked and screamed before beginning to smoke. She claims she let out enough power to roast his body and from the amount of times the lights were flickering, I can believe it. Even the blood pooling at her feet were ablaze with electricity and power. She took her first kill so well that it makes me proud. I'll have to make her a cake tonight."_

"The thrill of the hunt... the anticipation is unsurpassed. Hopefully when I enter the chase, you will prove most entertaining, Électricité." Smiling coldly, she dove headfirst into the diary again, hoping to strike more gold.

Meanwhile, the two older soldiers took their seats and watched as Sally shuffled into hers with her enthusiasm ebbing away noticeably despite the fake smile upon her face. "She looks thrilled," Soldier: 76 commented bluntly. "Last time I saw that face on her was when McCree was certain he heard she had a language kink and was trying out his accent on her."

Reaper carefully mentally filed that information away before responding. "Apparently one of the other panelists is and I quote, 'So far out of the loop he doesn't even know there is a damn loop.' I got to hear a rant about it last night. Oh and then something about how even though she was older than Angela despite being her apprentice at least she could respect her superiors."

Morrison gave a low whistle at the news. "To rankle Salvation that way is pretty tough. Especially since her and Mercy don't get along anymore. You know, I actually forgot for a bit that she is older than Angela." _I knew better to point it out to either woman. They are so touchy about their ages..._

The other man snorted in dark amusement. "Yeah. War doesn't care how old you are when you're near an Omnium. Also, Sally was in the middle of nowhere, and yes I found out where her hometown is. Far away from any Omnics' influence still. Anyways, Angela did not have that luxury. Where she was, Omnics were very common before the crisis. She actually joined at an age when many around the world would consider her underage but she is clever. Being a medical professional, despite being young, she knew how to hide her age." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a beer he smuggled from the room. He ignored the other man's incredulous gaze and opened it up to take a sip. "Remember who the original commander of Overwatch was? You may not have looked into Angela's file past the picture of a 'hot blonde' when you took over, but I compiled her profile. The woman joined at sixteen and already was a medical prodigy beyond compare. Top notch schooling and real life lessons advance someone beyond compare. I knew she was younger than what I would have normally taken in an ideal world, but the Omnic Crisis was a shit storm and I stand by that decision. Loath as I am to admit it, she contributed in a good way." He snickered at the surprised look. "You really should know your agents better, boy."

"One fucking year Gabe doesn't make me a kid compared to you," Morrison groaned as he put his face in his hands. He knew however his former friend could not see the half smile on his face because of the motion. "When did we become so old?"

"The minute we put on military fatigues and went out there to make the world a better place," Reaper grimly replied as he drank more beer. "And stop glaring at the can. Sally won't care about the beer and neither should you."

"Feels like she'd murder me for drinking." _She may be putting on a polite face but she looks like she's one social misstep away from murdering me while Gabe is barely not touching his shotguns._

"Apparently I don't suffer much of a hangover. We tested our alcohol tolerance last night." Reaper had enjoyed that. They had several shots and decided to pour some of his paycheck into some high quality alcohol.

"Was it a repeat of that one party where you two drank out the whole supply of alcohol from the Gibraltar base?" _Reinhardt was most depressed on realizing that all of the alcohol was truly gone._

His old friend had the ghost of a smile upon his lips. "I reminded her of that actually. She thought I forgot." He remembered how shamelessly she had flirted with him at the time and having to pretend he had no recollection stung when he remembered her hurt face.

Morrison hummed softly. "That's when I thought I wouldn't be able to get her attention. She was enchanted by you, even back then. She just didn't know how to approach you."

"Too bad shit doesn't always happen how we want," the mercenary sneered. "I believe she was taken in by the image of Golden Boy Morrison. Apparently the United Nations was."

"Not this again," the white haired soldier groaned. "Look I'm sorry. I was handed leadership away from you but I thought at the time you'd be happy to relax and be away from the publicity."

"Now that is funny," Reaper started to hiss in annoyance. "Using an organization to compensate for how you cannot stand by yourself? It's nice isn't it to be handed a functioning organization after all the shit was cleaned off the fan?"

"Look Gabriel, I didn't mean to bring up this. It just... seems to go hand in hand with all the arguments we had. Still have."

The old men looked at each other and the darker haired one sighed as he reached for another beer under his coat. "Then what will we talk about? How I obsessed about eliminating the organization who felt free to push me out of leadership when I no longer was idea? How the woman I'm starting to care about used to pine over you? Or how stupid your hair still looks, no matter how old you get?"

"My hair doesn't look dumb," the soldier gruffly stated but after a moment, Gabriel noticed he was touching his hair shiftily, as if paranoid.

"And like that, I know what to talk about," Gabriel smirked darkly.

Before Jack Morrison could retort, he frowned as he thought he heard something. The grin on his former friend's face also faded as he seemed to pick up on the oddity. He pulled out the visor he had hidden on his jacket and frowned as he looked up towards the ceiling. "I got you in my sights," he hissed as he signaled to Reaper.

Despite the years and animosity, one did not simply forget military hand signals overnight. The mercenary sighed and gave a low whistle. The pitch did not escape Morrison's ears but they both noticed that Sally noticed it as well. Both men repeated the signals and she flicked her hair, as if in annoyance but both knew. "Brace yourself," Reyes warned his former friend.

Jack Morrison was going to ask what he was talking about but then he felt it. A faint tingling seemed to crawl over their bodies. He felt like he wanted to twitch but training let him restrain those urges. He noted the audience seemed to shift uncomfortably at the feeling as well. "Sally doing this?"

He received a nod in confirmation. "Morrison, we need to keep an eye out."

"I'm not a novice at this. I did earn Overwatch's leadership out of something."

"Back to square-fucking-one," Reaper hissed as he touched his shotguns.

Before a retort could be fired, a sniper rifle sounded off. The distinctive sound caught Reaper's attention as he had become used to the shot of one thanks to his missions with Widowmaker. Both men knew they would not be able to stop the bullet but they did not expect Sally to react. She stood up from the panelist table suddenly. The power she let flow from her pushed back the panelists slightly but she extended out her hand as she saturated the air full of electricity. Her eyes were glowing white as she used her electricity to stop the bullet to a standstill. It lay caught in her electricity like a salmon in a fishnet and fell harmlessly to the ground. Before any security could step in, she let electricity charge into her legs before propelling herself towards where the shot came from. The sniper yelped as he was pinned to the wall by the medic, blazing with electricity. "Gabriel, ven aca por favor," she called out to the air behind her.

The swirling smoke gathered together to form Reaper who had placed his mask back on for intimidation. "What have we here?" he hissed darkly as he began to chuckle. The sniper paled even further, realizing who he was dealing with.

"But... you work with Talon!" the man squeaked in alarm as he felt Reaper move the medic aside to pin the assassin. The clawed gauntlet he wore did a better job of intimidating the gunman as it were and his physical strength only helped in this endeavor.

"Not currently," he rasped out as he let the tips of the claw dig into the flesh. "Your orders?" he asked the medic behind him with an all too amused tone.

Sally glanced at both men and sighed. "Well he works for Talon but does he really know anything?"

"I doubt it... but he could be good for something," Reaper grunted as he felt dark hunger tear at his body. _It has been a while since I've had a soul... and it would taste better with her permission._

"I won't let you consume him," Sally said firmly as she realized what he was after. "We could find at least something out. You siding with me, even temporarily, might have displeased Talon."

"Sally, it isn't temporary," Reaper growled in irritation. "How much do I have to tell you such?"

"You won't stop hating Overwatch overnight and eventually... I might be forced to help them, despite how much I loath them." Her matter of fact tone made Reaper tense. "I cannot just let Talon do as they want. I wanted to die... but if others die when I could have helped, I'll be no better than Talon."

"I would keep you safe. No one is allowed to harm you," he scowled as his clawed gauntlets cut into the sniper's skin. The man yelped but the action seemed to fuel the anger even more. "To think someone dares such a thing against you..." _Only I am allowed to touch that soul. To taste the delight that your innocent trust has become..._ He shook his head to cleanse himself of the voice and cursed under his breath. "If you tell us something, I won't have to cut your throat to ribbons and consume your soul anyway!"

"Damn it, Gabriel," she scowled but before she could reprimand him, they heard the grunt of Soldier: 76 hoisting himself to where the three were.

"I evacuated all the civilians. Told them it was a terrorist attack. They understandably cancelled the convention," he mentioned bluntly to Sally, who only shrugged at the news. "Now then, this scum from Talon?"

"We've already figured that out, farm boy." Sally rolled her eyes at Reaper's insult but he seemed a bit agitated understandably so she let it slide. "Now, we got to figure out what to do with him?"

"Well, he attempted to strike at Salvation so..." Soldier: 76 said carefully, almost curious as to what the sniper would do with the knowledge.

Reaper almost dropped the sniper as he jerked almost in renewed fear at the words. "Salvation?"

"That's my agent name," Sally spoke up as she approached him. She held out her hand and let electricity spark between her fingertips. "Will you come to your Salvation?" she asked almost sweetly as she held out her hand.

They did not expect the agent to yelp and kick Reaper in the chest. He grunted slightly as he unintentionally released the sniper. As he reached for his shotguns, his eyes widened behind his mask as he saw the sniper take out a pistol. Instead of attempting to shoot any of the former Overwatch agents, he instead aimed it at his head. "I'd rather die," he said grimly and pulled the trigger.

The gun was poorly aimed, causing blood and spinal fluid to splatter over them. Sally even blinked owlishly as blood splattered on her cheek. "What the...?" she said softly as she touched her cheek. She barely could believe the scene before her eyes and sank down to sit on her butt. She could not even voice annoyance or anything when the man's soul sped towards Reaper to be absorbed into his being.

The grim mercenary did not even acknowledge the gained sustenance but instead, headed towards the stunned medic. He used his jacket to clean the blood off of her face. "You may not have realized it but the words you said is a code to Talon agents."

She frowned and looked at him in confusion. Soldier: 76 growled in annoyance. "Well, don't hold back by any means. What the fuck does it mean?"

"'Come to your Salvation' is code to be tortured into a painful death," he replied quietly. He felt Sally tense up in his arms at the revelation and her eyes widen. "The wording of it seemed a bit awkward but all the same, forced. Why did you say it like that, Sally?"

"What are you saying, _Reyes_?" Morrison hissed accusingly. Sally nearly jumped at the dark tone. "That is a bit like you think she cannot be trusted. In reality, you are the most likely to become a turncoat. After all..."

"Mention Swiss Headquarters and I'll put a shell through your thick fucking skull," Reaper venomously hissed as he motioned towards the corpse. "Point is, Sally has unintentionally known random things that only someone affiliated with Talon would know. What worries me is how this can be?"

"I swear, I'm not working with Talon. I've seen what they have done to people. I remember Amelie!" Sally sputtered out with fear as she saw Jack Morrison's face turn to her. With his eyes covered by the visor, he did not seem friendly or approachable to her but rather, cold and cut off. "The last thing I want is to be working with them. It hurts just knowing that Gabriel had worked with them and might later in the future. I mean, look at the sniper or all those people in my home town."

"Me cae mal ese pinche cabrón," Reaper hissed and Morrison shook his head.

"Some of us can't understand Spanish, in case you forgot," he groaned. He saw Sally snort in amusement despite the situation. "Gabe used to do this to me all the time because he knew I could barely understand Spanish."

"I learned Spanish a while back as it was pretty commonly spoken in my hometown," Sally admitted as the trio began to clean up the mess. She was a bit surprised how well the two knew how to dispose of a body but she supposed during a field mission, they had to do this often. At the very least, Gabriel would have due to his work with Blackwatch. "A few languages actually. I don't know how I learned French though..."

The two men looked at each other with worry. A handsign from the white haired soldier caused his former friend to sigh before also nodding. Sally frowned as she saw Gabriel walk towards her and embrace her close to his chest. "Sally... I'm sorry."

"Gabriel? What is..." she gasped as she felt his shotgun impact the back of her head. Her eyelids fluttered shut as she collapsed into his chest. Despite knowing he did it, she could not help but reach out for him. He held her as she fell unconscious before glaring at his fellow former soldier.

"If you're wrong, I'll kill you Jack Morrison." He carefully cradled her to his body as he followed the white haired man back to the hotel room.

"That time with Amelie. I did not think of it due to other issues at the time but you were suspicious back then. This now adds another layer to this mystery. What if... could she be a sleeper agent like Amelie?"

"I don't think so," Reyes muttered as he bound her to a chair in the room. The cord he picked as it was insulated. He knew she could possibly direct electricity past it but if anything, he hoped that she would at least partially restrain herself. As a precaution, he added a blindfold hoping that she would relax and not lash out. "I think it is something else... Either way, Talon doesn't take kindly to leavers at all. It's why I had to kill that cyborg." _Who apparently is her mother... I'm fucked once she finds out._ "She had information and stood in Talon's way. I regret not being able to find out any information but apparently Widowmaker made progress."

Soldier: 76 frowned. "How many civilians died? And was it your doing or Widowmakers?"

"Mine. She considers it a point of pride to not hit bystanders. I on the other hand know better than to let people nose around on a battlefield and interfere with a mission. She may have been taught by Talon but that was after being a trophy wife for an actual agent. In addition to leading a covert ops group after leading another group..." He paused and gave a slight glare to Soldier: 76. "We were in the military for a bit before the Soldier Enhancement. We know better. Anyways, yes I killed civilians and if you're expecting me to be sorry, I'm not."

Jack Morrison frowned at his friend's words. "I was hoping you were changing."

"I am nice to _one_ person. That is hardly a revelation you were wanting, is it?" He stared at his friend's expression before groaning. "What? You expect I find someone I actually want to protect then I suddenly do a 180 and waltz back into Overwatch's waiting arms? If Sally was awake, she would laugh herself into a coma at this. She at least knows I restrain myself for her sake but I'm still a murderer and a psychopath. A highly functioning psychopath but still a psychopath."

"Fucks sake. Did your _source_ respond?"

During their bickering, Reaper had reached for his phone and texted Widowmaker. He was surprised to see not only a response but also a document. He set it to download. "So it seems," he growled as he opened the message.

" _Enjoy, mon cher. An excerpt from the diary of one Brigitte Jones."_

He hummed as he finally opened it and cursed immediately open the first line. "Jack. You need to read this." He maximized the file on the phone and handed it over to him.

" _Today, I'm taking Salvation... no Sally away from here. Talon is asking too many questions. They want me to send her on an actual mission. I used to take pride in that she even created her own statement of fear within Talon. 'Come to your Salvation,' used to make me proud and now I feel ashamed. I took away whatever my child desired once and instead, put her in a war for adults. I let her torture, maim and kill all for their agenda. Children her ages should be making silly projects to give to their parents... To me. She has blood on her hands but she won't remember. As her handler, her activation phrase is keyed to me. Even if they_ _ **ever**_ _discover it, she won't rise to it. There's a chance some of the feelings associated with certain memories won't go away or she'll retain knowledge of certain things most children or adults should be ignorant of. But I will save her from this life. If I have my way, my child will never hear or know of Talon again."_

There was a silence between both men before Morrison sighed. "Please tell me there is some beer in this room. A lot of beer."

"We'll need it," Reyes agreed as he trotted over to take out a whole box of it. He brought it back and they barely cracked open a can when the sound caused Sally to stir. "Sally?"

"Gabriel?" she groaned as she tried to wiggle her arms then realizing they were bound, slacked them. "Can you at least rub my head? It hurts where you hit it."

He laughed as he heard the indignant tone, especially when he knew there was no anger to her voice. Just perplexed surprise mixed in. "Sure. Sorry about this." He soothingly rubbed the back of her head, causing her to close her eyes behind the blindfold as she started to relax. "Want some beer?"

"Please. Don't let me spill any," she said softly. Behind her, the perplexed Soldier: 76 made some frantic hand signs towards his former friend. He however, received a cutting off motion then a sign that he knew how to handle it. Gabriel gently held the beer to Sally's lips and helped pour it in carefully. "Thanks."

"Of course," he said as he pulled back the can and started to massage her head. She started leaning into the motion and hummed happily. "Sally... We found out something that ties you to Talon."

"That's rather frustrating," she responded but she did not move her head. She was too intent on enjoying the scalp massage that she had a feeling she normally would not receive from Gabriel's ungloved hands. "How bad is it? Relative in it sending me secret messages?"

"You were a child agent," he said bluntly. Before she could retort, he pushed down on a slight pressure point, causing her to squeak. "Your mother was your handler. Without her however, they cannot use you as whatever your trigger phrase was tied to her."

Sally did not look angry but instead was still for a moment before nodding. "It makes sense. Mother did not seem happy as an architect or with the slowness of a small town life. Father was away from home a lot so..." She paused as she thought on it. "They fought a lot when he sponsored my way into Overwatch..."

"Your father was a major financer," Soldier: 76 disclosed quietly. "His name was one of the scientists who started work on the Soldier Enhancement Program but I never looked into your mother's before." He stroked his chin as he tried to think more on it. "His death though... was he targeted for his involvement with the program or..."

He paused as he felt the dark mercenary grip his bicep tightly. "Your mother's involvement with Talon must have been long standing." _It also explains that crap ton of mommy issues you have._ "Judging by this text I was sent."

"Oh?" Now she was curious. "How do you know it is about my mother?"

"It refers to you as an agent of Talon. The very words you unintentionally used with the agent are mentioned in a file I obtained from an inside source. Salvation was the name you had in Talon. What prompted you to make it your call sign in Overwatch?"

"I..." She paused and frowned. "I truly don't know. When you asked me about it, it was the first thing that came to my mind. I knew I wasn't going into battle like how Mercy did but I wanted something to connect me to Overwatch." She smiled slightly. "It makes me sad though that I have a past like that. It actually sickens me but I don't know how to change it. What was I like? What exactly did I do?"

"According to this, you killed, maimed and tortured. Makes sense about your phrase," Reaper hissed contemplatively. "I haven't heard much about you since my partnership with Talon is fairly recent and I never let them get too close to who I am. All I know is Salvation was feared. If you left there as a child... you must have had one hell of an impact."

"I... I'm trying to remember something. Like being trained to be feared cannot happen overnight..." She slumped within her bindings. "Shit. The first time I remember things being weird is after a factory blew up in Leipzig. My mother owned it. She was from old money. I survived but had the whole electricity thing as a side effect. Maybe a month after, I felt like I lost a few days."

"I'll ask my source to keep an eye open," Reaper hissed as he texted back a response. "It is weird that Talon is doing this but... to not send their best agents is puzzling."

"This was a fucking sniper at a convention with innocent bystanders!" Soldier: 76 roared in anger. "How is that not a best agent?"

"Widowmaker would not have gotten herself caught. She would not have done anything so amateur as to trigger a warning or make a sound," Reaper pointed out. Sally's hands balled into fists at his words.

"You seem to know her very well," she said bitterly. "Tell me, does Amelie express any regret at what she has become?"

Not realizing how agitated she was, he decided to answer. "She hasn't. Rather, she claims it makes her feel alive. Which is a lot for her."

"Fucking idiot," the other man stated as he sat down. _Might as well enjoy Gabe stumbling with a woman I suppose._

"I suppose she was your source of information about me?" Sally continued. Her annoyance was barely disguised despite an accent starting to crack at her tone.

"She is. She did not clarify how she came across the information and merely provided it. I should get her to tell us more."

"Oh yes. I love finding out my past from a woman who murdered her husband in his sleep and gets _thrills_ from killing people," she growled out. A slight German accent was starting to tint her words.

_I wonder if she had this accent from her mother or from Angela,_ Soldier: 76 found himself wondering.

"Do you forget I still kill people?" Reaper retorted darkly.

"How can I forget one of the things that apparently provides you sustenance? Not like I've been able to study or find anything else about you! I found out about your soul sucking a week ago and I've been too busy to do anything."

"Well, your damn convention is done now!" he roared. The white haired soldier's head fell into his hands and he shook his head. "What will you do now?"

"Bring you Salvation!" her voice darkened as electricity surged from her skin, burning the rubber bindings around her and causing the blindfold to singe before becoming ashes on the floor. Her eyes were ablaze with power as she stood up almost ethereally. Her hair was flying around with power but as she stared stared at the two men, she tilted her head. "Why do you not fear?" she questioned as her voice crackled.

"I don't fear death. I bring it," Reaper intoned as he crossed his arms at her.

"You won't hurt us," Soldier: 76 said with confidence. "I trust you."

"Trust..." she said quietly before she clenched her chest. The anger and darkness in her eyes faded and she blinked at the duo. "Thank... thank you," she said quietly as power seemed to flush out of her body. She collapsed into Gabriel's arms. "I never would hurt either of you," she murmured into his chest.

"I will protect you, mi reina. Even from yourself if I must." She smiled at his words and gave him a quick peck on the check.

"I think I can stand," she stated as she stood up before glancing towards the old soldier. She held onto Gabriel and squeezed his shoulder for reassurance and also, to help restrain him. "So... the convention is over. I suppose we can have a little chat now, Morrison. So, talk?"


	9. Dead Useful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few more characters mentioned!

 

The last thing Jack Morrison expected was to be riding in a Tesla Roadster, speeding off towards the west coast of the United States. It was thanks to Reaper's suggestion too that they should bail out of the convention area altogether lest they be apprehended prompted quick action from all three. Reaper and Soldier: 76 were easy to play off as mercenaries in this situation but Sally on the other hand was in a conundrum altogether. She had exposed her powers quite publically at a televised event and it was going to be difficult. "Can I change the music?" Morrison finally asked from the back seat. "I tire of country music."

He did not expect a glare from the gloomy man in the front. "It's annoying enough you intrude," he sneered. "I do agree though a change of music is nice. Nonetheless, if Talon is after us, we need to get away from any city near the convention. Sally, any destination in mind or just driving down this long, empty highway?"

The medic glanced towards both agitated men. "West. Don't know. I expect to find quite a few deserted locations where we can converse safely. And I suppose you wanted music? Let me try one of my programmed stations."

Reaper already braced himself and covered his ears, confusing Soldier: 76 until loud music started blaring from all the car's speakers. "DOES IT RUN IN YOUR BLOOD, TO BETRAY THE ONES YOU LOVE? YES IT RUNS IN YOUR BLOOD, TO BETRAY THE ONES YOU LOVE."

Sally sheepishly turned down the music as she noted the white haired male rubbing his ears. "Sorry." _And those fucking lyrics. God damn my music._ Does _all my musical taste say something about me?_

"I can't hear you," he replied a bit too loud. "My visor had an attachment which helped enhance my hearing. It's out of synch right now thanks to the music," he practically shouted to the couple's amusement.

"Jack's getting old," Gabriel stage whispered dramatically as he attempted to put a smile on her gloomy face. Sally gave a slight grimace as she was trying to shake off the headache that the music gave her. "You okay?"

"Yeah... Tired. Glad that Jack at least had the forethought for us to get out of there though before anything else could happen or slow us down. Despite having to deal with Jack being Jack, I prefer another gun near us with us and not against us."

"And loath as I am to admit it, the hick is good at shooting."

"I can hear you two," Jack Morrison growled as he started to tweak with his visor. "And thank you for turning down the music. My ear drums are a little sensitive right now but not bad."

"Sorry again about that," Sally apologized meekly. "I like my music loud. Drowns out the shitty days and clears the mind."

"But why would your mind need cleared? And how is that relaxing?" the white haired commander questioned. "You just barely found out about your... past." He chose his next words carefully, knowing that a certain Gabriel Reyes would not hesitate to shoot him. "What other things could be troubling you?"

"You insensitive fuck," Gabriel hissed but he was stopped by Sally putting a hand on his wrist, stopping him from drawing a shotgun. "Hey! Sally! Eyes on the road."

"No shooting while the vehicle is in motion," she muttered in warning. She swerved around a raccoon on the road, causing both men to move their hands far away from their guns in order to brace themselves.

"Gabe... Did she do that on purpose?" Soldier: 76 whispered quietly.

"Jack, the only reason I can talk without fear is because I won't die from a car crash and I shouldn't be able to vomit despite the amount of motion we're in." He paused and then placed his forehead against the dashboard as a sudden chill crawled up his spine. "On second thought..."

"Not in the car," she groaned as she quickly pulled over. She watched both men leave the car in a hurry and slumped in the driver's seat. _Damn it. I thought I was driving carefully._

Both former soldiers had headed to a bush several yards down but made sure they were out of earshot. "Brilliant," Gabriel muttered as he gave a couple raspy coughs for emphasis. "Now we can have a quick talk and she'll drive a little smoother."

Jack mock collapsed onto the ground and smirked. "I may not be a covert ops type of individual but we are soldiers. You think she'll start remembering shit? After that little thing with the song, she had a haunted look. Also, when she swerved..."

"I found that weird too," the mercenary admitted as he reached for a water that had been tossed to them by the concerned medic. "Not to make her sound heartless but she normally just runs over small animals head on. Says it's safer. And I can attest to the fact she usually drives better with more people. Something about being a hero if you go alone but an asshole if you take others with you kind of shit."

"Sounds like her," Jack muttered as he was also tossed a water bottle. "We need to watch her. These recent revelations may not make her a sleeper agent but could unlock troubling things. Any word from Widowmaker?"

Reaper checked his phone and frowned. "Nothing but I'll ask."

Meanwhile, Lúcio was humming happily in his tour bus as he was going over his latest single. The song, other than sounding good because Lúcio did not simply put out a shoddy beat, had the effect of when played on certain amplifiers had a healing effect. He had modified his makeshift weapon to also be able to produce this beat. It had taken much correspondence with the Swiss doctor, Angela Ziegler, to be able to procure some research that would be able to help him as well as converse about anything intricate.

When he noticed his phone go off, he checked it to see it was a video being uploaded to the internet. He frowned when he saw the title. "Doctor Jones: A Human Generator? Stops Bullet!" He watched the footage and his eyes widened so much he thought they would pop out of his skull. The amount of views shocked him and he opened up his email curious to verify that it truly was the same woman. Only months ago he had written to the doctor in an effort to inquire about non-intrusive medical procedures just to get referred to Angela Ziegler. She had been cordial and even offered to forward him any other relevant documents as she acquired them but he had thanked for her the time spent and insisted a reference to the famous Mercy was enough. "Odd."

He had no time to contemplate the matter as the tour bus sputtered to a stop. "We aren't anywhere near our destination..." Lúcio questioned as he headed to the front of the bus. "Hey, what's the hold up?"

"Some engine broke down."

Lúcio looked at his employee with a perplexed expression. "Some engine?"

"I don't know these American machines," the man simply shrugged. "We have the bodyguard's car. We'll go drive to the next town and return with a mechanic."

The musician shrugged in response. "Sounds like a plan. Be safe," he cheerily waved before returning to his phone. "I hope that lady is alright... She seemed nice over the computer. Such a humanitarian."

Widowmaker smirked however as she uploaded the next document over to Reaper. Every entry she cracked would cause her to salivate in anticipation. Learning more about the potential target was so tantalizing that if she was honest with herself, made her wetter than any perfect kill she had accomplished with her rifle. "I wonder what he will think of such a delicious detail. Will he still desire you?"

Reaper's throat was tight as he read the next journal entry. Him and Jack were back in the Tesla, trying to recover and thankfully, Sally was driving with more restraint. "I'll pick up some more medical supplies at the next town. Electricity cannot do much for nausea," she kept apologizing but both men tentatively waved her off.

The document however he discreetly passed to Soldier: 76, knowing the other man would need to see it. "She changed again and was in anguish. I need to escape. We need to escape. She... she is colder as an electric being. She... said she wondered if she would feel anything if she held my beating heart in her jaws. She... asked if she finally would get nourishment from her mother that way. I am a horrible person. All the experiments took a toll on her psyche, that much was evident no matter how well she kept it hidden. When she transformed, she was so angry and enraged I truly feared for my life. She did not physically lash out at me however. Her words had an unearthly hiss as she glared at me, as if she wanted to incinerate my soul. Sally as a human was a timid yet powerful asset to Talon. This... being. Salvation truly."

"Damn it," Soldier: 76 cursed as he slid the phone back to Reaper.

"Another tid bit from your source?" Sally asked harshly as she ran over a chipmunk. Both men winced as they could feel her speed up.

"Your form seems to harness more anger. Your electricity form that is," Reaper trudged on bravely. Like that, her bad mood dissipated and instead was replaced by a thoughtful one. "You apparently went through a lot of pain as a child and were right to put your mother as the cause of it. If you remember your reaction during that song back in your home town..."

"Yes, I remember." She sighed softly and motioned towards a stopped tour bus. "That is a bit odd. Let's go help them."

"Are you serious?" Soldier: 76 scowled. "You can't help every person in your path. You have to think of more than just your desires for one moment."

"Jack, you act like I'm giving whoever is in there my fucking kidney," she snarled. "Let's just check on them. Maybe they need some gas or a jump. Shit happens, okay? Not everything is a Talon incident waiting to happen."

"And you had a failed assassination attempt that you foiled at the expense of ousting yourself to the world. Sally, I don't know what rock you've been under..."

"Oh this is rich from the old man who didn't think anyone would figure out he's Jack fucking Morrison," Reaper could not help but chime in. "The figurehead of a powerful international organization dying was a shock but you became immortalized as a hero. I'm on the side, as if tacked on to be politically correct. It's demeaning how you believe..."

"Gabriel. Jack. Not now," Sally growled as she parked behind the van. "I'm looking into who is in there if there is anyone. Are you two with me?"

Both men groaned. "Like we have a choice. He'd kill me if I tried to restrain you," Soldier: 76 pointed out as Reaper shrugged.

"I'm not going to grasp onto an unwilling person who could turn into a giant electric ball." The other two winced at the unintentionally insensitive assessment as the men grabbed their guns. "But we're being careful about this. You had military training but you weren't on the field."

"He's right," Morrison stated as he dashed past her, standing protectively. "I'll take point. If I see a threat, I can deal with it head on and Gabe can flank. Stay behind me, Sally."

"Alright," she said quietly as she reached for her Desert Eagle. The electricity she generated she began to charge inside the gun, just in case. "Just tell me what to do."

"I wish you didn't park right behind the fucking tour bus," Reaper hissed as he reached for his mask. He knew that Soldier: 76 was doing the same as well to refasten his visor properly. "We're exposed to any snipers."

"We'll just drop her name again and see what happens," the white haired man said quietly as they crept along the bus. His visor was scanning the desert landscape cautiously before he motioned for both to follow him. "It seems clear. We should hurry though. They'll try tracking her car."

"Damn it. Why don't you have multiple license plates?" Reaper hissed in annoyance. "Any good Blackwatch operative..."

"I wasn't in Blackwatch, remember?" Sally reminded the former commander with a groan. "All I was in Overwatch was a damn medic who had contact with primarily underlings. Knowing any of you, even slightly, was coincidence."

"You underestimate yourself," Morrison chipped in. "You still were the second in..."

"Cállate," Reyes barked sharply. Sally looked sheepish while Jack glanced back at them questioningly.

"It means 'shut up'," Sally explained quietly.

"I really should have gathered that from how many times he used to..."

"And both of you cannot understand the English translation either!" Reaper scowled as he looked around. "I'm busting in the door. Cover me."

Sally's face was slightly pink from the admonishment. "It could be unlocked."

The former head of the covert branch was about to scowl at both of them when the door opened. "Did you guys grab the machine part yet? This place is boring! And this dry desert is not good for the skin at all..." A Brazilian youth blinked at the trio with guns. He was not threatened however as he noted they were just as surprised as he was. "You... aren't the roadies."

Soldier: 76 went up to the youth man with his rifle tight in his hands. "Tell me who you are!"

The youth tilted his head and sighed. "Really? Wow man. You must be like... old."

Gabriel snickered despite himself. "That is Lúcio Correia dos Santos. He is on Talon's watch list as he has had a hand in many anti-Vishkar movements."

"He's a famous musician," Sally added as she shook her head at Morrison's lack of knowledge. "Some of his music has been shown to have special properties. He has collaborated with several doctors about this."

"But how do you know that?" the musician asked as his brow furrowed. "I only corresponded with two..." He stared at the woman and then his eyes widened. Part of him wanted to reach for the cell phone at his hip and his fingertips twitched in realization. "Oh... my... god!" A bright smile lit up his face. "Sally Jones! You were the one who recommended me to Angela Ziegler for my audio therapy research!"

The medic smiled and gave a half bow. "It isn't every day I find someone able to recognize me. People are used to reading or listening to my work now."

"Well... You kind of are even more famous now," the DJ began. "Someone at that convention was streaming when you did that shield thing."

"Streaming?" she practically squeaked. Reaper walked up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Just the simple gesture seemed to calm her down. "What was broadcasted?"

Lúcio winced slightly at the demanding glares from the other two men and the pleading look from the female as he pulled out his phone and replayed the video he was sent. The medic's jaw seemed locked as she watched the short clip. "Well... at least they didn't see the sniper kill himself," Reaper commented lightly as he motioned with his shotguns. "That would have painted you in a negative light."

"That's putting it lightly," Soldier: 76 grunted as he watched the video end. "Luckily, it didn't catch footage of either of us. We can't afford the shit show."

"And I can?" Sally quipped back as she massaged her forehead. "I'm so fucked." It did not help that the video's thumbnail was of her stopping the bullet with an electrical field around her.

"No, you aren't," Lúcio smiled at her winningly. He spun around his phone and gave a thumb's up. "Trust me on this."

"What is he...?" Soldier: 76 growled as he saw the Brazilian enable his selfie camera on his phone.

"Hello, hello everyone!" Both former soldiers winced at how happy and chirpy the DJ was. "Now, I want to address something I've seen on the news channels and on social media. The video on everyone's phone and page right now..." Sally winced as she thought about it. Despite the oddities in their world, enhanced humans were still a rarity. Especially when she was not a cyborg either but rather, something else entirely. "And now, as someone who actually has spoken with and corresponded with Miss Sally Jones in the past, I have one thing to say..." He gave a dramatic pause before clearing his throat seriously. "Please, just leave her alone. She saved many people that day. Who cares if she has sparks out of her fingers? That means she is a hero. A big damn hero. I'm jealous to be fair," he confesses as he glances off screen to look at Sally. The medic gasps slightly at the DJ's words. "The best thing to do is to give her space. Don't attack her for protecting others. We need to embrace her. She is a person. We are people, no? That's it for now! Bye everyone!" he chirped happily before ending the stream and turning to the three former Overwatch members. "Why the serious faces?"

"That was..." Sally began before turning away. She sniffled slightly and wiped her eyes before any tears could fall. "Just... thank you. Thank you so much."

The white haired soldier merely nodded while Reaper hummed slightly. "Muy bien, hijo."

"Ah, Spanish?" Lúcio beamed. "It's similar to Portuguese but there are some terms that translate differently if you've noticed..."

"I know. Speaking of which, where are your security personnel?" the grim man stated as he motioned around with his clawed gloves. "Celebrities don't just sit in the middle of nowhere in their fancy bus."

"Reaper, what are you doing?" Sally asked, carefully making sure to emphasize his code name since she wanted to give Lúcio the benefit of the doubt, he technically was an unknown quantity to Overwatch or Talon.

"He's just doing his job," Soldier: 76 spoke up. "He's good at interrogation and information gathering. Let him do that. We'll scout. Let's go," the gruff soldier motioned. Sally hesitated until Reaper waved her off and even the Brazilian gave a shrug.

"He'll protect you or he dies," Reaper promised before motioning towards the bus with his head. "Let's go, Rana," he intoned towards the musician who groaned.

"I do know some Spanish, you know."

Sally could not help but smile slightly as she followed the grumpy Soldier: 76 around. He was carefully tapping his visor ever so often as he scanned the landscape. "I'm detecting some heat signatures but it is at too far of a distance to tell if it is human or an animal," he muttered. "Would you have any luck?"

She frowned as she looked around. "The air is very dry so that would help me slightly if there were some clouds at least. But not a damn cloud and the whole area is pretty open. I'd have to exert a lot of electricity to try to get a read on this area." She paused before adding. "At least an area big enough to be covered by a sniper rifle. Also... you would likely die from the amount of electricity that would have to pour from me and I probably would as well."

He did not have the heart to tell her that he doubted that very much. "Well... Let's err on the side of caution. I don't fancy one of Gabriel's shotguns pointed at my stomach."

"It wouldn't be like that, Jack." She smiled serenely as she let electricity spark between her fingertips. "It would be both of them." He groaned slightly but before he could retort, she shushed him. "I'm going to try to enhance my vision. It'll hurt like a bitch though so, watch over me?"

"I got your six."

Nodding, she clenched her fist, causing the electricity to disappear. Closing her eyes quickly, she opened them to reveal them a blazing blue. She scanned around and the old soldier noted her eyes appeared to be tearing up but he did not speak for fear of distracting or harming her. She hummed slightly and blinked again. The glow faded and she rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, that definitely hurt. But I'm fine. I see a shadow moving towards us along a road. Maybe a car but it was too far away that I could not see anything." Jack was about to open his mouth but she cut him off. "No I didn't see a license plate."

"Damn. I was hoping..." He started before glancing back at the tour bus. He could faintly, thanks to his visor, see inside where Reaper and Lúcio were conversing next to a window. Rather than being intimidated by the aggressive mercenary, the DJ was relatively at ease and slumped backwards. "Gabriel... He's different now."

"Between the pale skin, ghostly powers and voice modification he likes to fuck around with far too much," Sally drawled in response. "I wouldn't have guessed."

"Very funny," he grunted before looking back at her. "You softened him up."

"He still kills and eats souls. Last I checked, total opposite of soft. Edgy even."

"He is protecting and not killing Overwatch agents," the former commander corrected. At his words however, Sally's brow furrowed deeply. "The last thing I want to do is use you..."

"You're damn good at that, Morrison," she retorted with hurt. "I might not necessarily want to hurt you any longer but that doesn't mean I forgive you. For any of it."

"I'm sorry how I treated you..." he began but she smacked him upside the head.

"Look. I'm not just talking about our..." she paused as she tried to search for a word while he made a vulgar, jerking motion with his hand. "Yes. That. Anyways, it is more than just that. You threw away a friendship that survived the military. That pisses me off. I wish... I wish I had that. A person to rely on back then who would have had my back."

"I wish I didn't throw that away either," he admitted grimly. "He is in such pain. And I caused some of it."

"Yes, you did. But you are helping too," Sally admitted. "Don't think I don't notice the banter. You both miss it."

He did not say anything for a few moments but merely nodded. "He was my best friend."

"He can still be a friend," she pointed out quietly. "Things are different..."

"He's a murderer," Jack pointed out angrily. "He killed so many and..."

"And it was okay when he led Overwatch? It was okay when he was placed in Blackwatch? The ones who decide what is right are the survivors. You murdered too. I..."

"What happened to the good little medic I used to date?" he asked grimly. "You actually killing seems so impossible."

"I saw someone being forcibly resurrected. I saw my relationship crumble before realizing I wasn't in one at all. I was threatened by death only to become the friend of the bearer." She looked at her hands and was not surprised to see electricity gathered in them. "I am Salvation."

"And don't you think you could protect the others? As a medic, aren't you obligated to try to save as many lives as possible?" the former commander pointed out. He saw her jaw tense tightly as her eyes narrowed at him. He knew hitting her at the logical side of her heart would make her have a reaction to his words. "If you save someone before they need it, they won't need to be healed. They won't need Angela to try to intervene."

"What are you saying, Jack?" she hissed. "If you are insinuating I become a honey pot..."

"Wouldn't it be your duty?" he pointed out with a smirk. "And you shouldn't mind. You apparently care about him and that way, you save lives."

"And now you're acting like a shitty friend," she sneered. "Why can't you take at least responsibility for what happened to Gabriel? You could be a decent friend without trying to assign me... You know what? I'm not an Overwatch agent. I'm his friend and apparently a better one than you. Fuck you, Jack."

She did not like the dark look on his face as he leaned close to hiss in her ear. "In case you forgot, you did already. And you enjoyed it."

She burned red and felt electricity gather in her fist but before she could be further provoked, a voice spoke up in their communication devices. "If you're trying to scout and protect the area, maybe movement would be advisable? Just saying since I was the Commander of Overwatch for a bit and wanted to pass down some expertise," Reaper drawled. He smirked as in the distance from the tour bus, he saw the duo finally patrol around the bus before turning his attention back to the DJ. "They need kept in line sometimes. He's a hothead who thinks he knows everything and she has military training but no practical experience."

"They don't sound too...," Lúcio began before Reaper interrupted him.

"And it's awkward because they used to fuck," he said bluntly.

"Oh."

"Exactly." He reached for the liquor that Lúcio had grabbed for the two of them. "But enough about that or I'll need more than this. If your employees are missing, they could be dead."

"That's rather grim," the musician frowned. "Traveling in the States can't be that dangerous."

"This is territory for the Deadlock Gang," the mercenary grunted in annoyance. "I should know. And if the fucking ingrate was here..."

"Pardon?" the Brazilian blinked at the sudden surge of hostility.

"It's a group of bandits and thugs," he summarized bluntly. "And chances are, they eliminated your guards and employees."

"Shit man," Lúcio moaned. "How will I tell their families? When I tried calling earlier and the phone didn't go through, I just assumed dead batteries."

"I'd be more worried about surviving this," Reaper intoned darkly before reaching for the communicator. "Report."

"Sally saw something north of the bus. My visor is picking up some smoke trails. Hard to tell if it is emissions from an automobile or..."

"You two should come back," the mercenary cut in sharply. "We don't have anything against a sniper if they sent another one or Widowmaker against us."

"I blocked a bullet if you remember," Sally retorted in irritation.

"Once. Can you do it again? Multiple times? For all of us at once? And how to strike back?" Reaper would have smirked if it was not her he was admonishing. "Thought so. Hurry up."

Lúcio gave a low whistle at the display. "You sound like a soldier, man."

"Before this," he tapped his mask for emphasis. "Long story. Anyways, you are likely in danger. What I'm curious about is why you're passing through such a dangerous area without a larger entourage."

"Well, there was a reason for that," Lúcio murmured. "My tour manager wanted us to be cautious since some fans have gotten a bit fanatical after what happened in Brazil against Vishkar. She told me to be a bit discreet if possible and take the road less traveled."

"I swear, did people get stupid while I was gone?" Reaper muttered under his breath. "Look. There is a difference between being discreet and just outright throwing caution to the wind. How long did you have this manager for?"

The Brazilian frowned as he tried to think back. "You suspect foul play?" Soldier: 76 muttered as the two others entered the bus.

"Obviously. It's like I've never worked with covert operations before," Reaper drawled. His words extracted a wry smirk from the doctor but she said nothing as she glanced outside warily. "We need a plan. We're in Deadlock Gang territory and from what McCree always bragged about was that they liked having a backup plan for everything."

"I can call him up and have him..." Soldier: 76 began but was cut off by an irate doctor.

"That won't do any good. For all we know, they could have gotten worse since he was recruited into Overwatch," she carefully noted. "Jesse was only recruited because he was noted as the only one with a moral compass. He was their leader because he was the strongest easily. They are not to be underestimated but in comparison, are mere thugs. They are driven by shorter term goals. Now something Lúcio represents must be what they're after. Taking down a revolutionary on that merit alone should not appeal to a Deadlock."

"Money." The single word escaped Lúcio's lips before he could stop it. "That's it, isn't it?"

"Likely," both former Overwatch commanders agreed simultaneously.

"It seems simple but it makes sense," Sally added. "You rapidly rose to fame and all the trappings of wealth. It is hard to resist the temptation to acquire the wealth if you ever were not born into it." She put her hands up as Lúcio seemed to get angry. "I'm not saying you are that way. I'm referring to them. I've seen people try way too hard to get at money in my life. And they will go to drastic lengths to do so. The ransom money they could get for you would be immense."

"Most of my money has been going to charity though," the star admitted but Sally chuckled darkly.

"And what about your rabid fans?" He paled dramatically as it dawned on him. "You've likely had your share of women and men flinging themselves at you but there are those who would pay money to see you safe. And even some would pay as much to make you suffer."

"Vishkar," he hissed coldly. All three were slightly surprised by the sudden rush of fury and bitterness. "What could connect the two? Vishkar does many illegal things but outright associating with a gang..."

"Talon," Reaper chipped in. "They have many fronts and organizations they manipulate like a puppet. You'll find many of the troubles of global importance do have connections with each other more than ever."

"So, we need to kill those thugs and rescue a celebrity?" the gruff white haired soldier glanced outside the windows and activated his visor. "I see them. So far on this side, five."

"Don't treat me like a damsel. I can fight," Lúcio tried to speak up before being sat down by Sally.

"This will be different. Vishkar and you were conflicting in the public eye thanks to everyone streaming. This is opposite. These thugs don't need to play nice or pull punches."

"But I'm far from helpless," he shot back. "Besides, aren't you a medic? Shouldn't you be far away from the action as well?"

"Both of you stay here," Reaper hissed from behind his mask as he rubbed the top of the mask. "The Soldier and I have some medical training but not a lot of it. With you both here, our chances to survive increase."

"But we don't get to help," Sally whined slightly. "Please? Let us at least try to..."

"No. You're sitting your ass down on standby." With a mutinous look, she looked towards Soldier: 76 but he nodded in agreement. "You two don't have the same fighting experience we do."

Both of the supports sighed in protest but the two old friends nodded towards each other. "So... Reaper?"

"Yeah?"

"Like old times."

He chuckled darkly as they both exited the vehicle. Together, they circled the bus to eyeball what they were facing. "So, who takes point?"

"I will," Morrison said gruffly. "You're better at that flanking shit."

"Fancy what happens when you catch them off guard," Reyes quipped with a smirk as he Shadow Stepped behind a few men hiding on a nearby bluff. "Hello there," he hissed as he drew his shotguns.

"Oh shit!" the men shrieked before the shells flew through the air as the mercenary unloaded into each of them.

"Don't have too much fun, Gabe," Morrison smirked as he took out a few on another point with his helix rockets. "Six."

"Amateur. I'm at eleven," Reaper snickered under the mask as he Shadow Stepped again in a cluster of mooks. "Qué putada...," he muttered in contempt before beginning his deadly dance. "Die! Die! DIE!"

"Teleportation is cheap bullshit," the white haired soldier complained. "So you can't complain then."

"Complain about what, farm boy?" Reaper snarked back before seeing the white haired man tap his visor and then he groaned. "Okay then. Use the thing that basically synchronizes with your weapon to ensure a guaranteed shot? Now that is bullshit. I get up close and personal at least when I use my shotguns."

"A weapon that if you're close enough, gets you pretty much a guaranteed kill without any aiming," Morrison fired back as he smacked a thug with his gun before putting a bullet through his skull. "And you have your hyper regeneration crap going on there. Now that is just bending the rules," he groused as he had to place a biotic field when a bullet grazed his leg.

"Blackwatch remember? All about the covert and looking for loopholes," Reaper grinned behind the mask. "But you still came off better than I did from the whole ordeal."

"Oh?" Morrison hummed as he reloaded his weapon. "Other side of the tour bus, Gabe."

"Repositioning," Reyes commented as he Shadow Stepped again. "Thanks, boy scout."

A loud female groan sounded over the communication line. "Are you two going at it, again?"

"If I may say, this could be unresolved sexual tension?" Lúcio chipped in. Sally's groan turned into snickers and dead silence from the two men outside.

"So I wasn't the only one who thought so as well..."

"Sally, we are not having this conversation," Reaper chillingly spoke over the comm line.

"It pains me to say it... but I agree with him," Soldier: 76 choked out as he deactivated the visor. "All clear?"

The sound of the tour bus's door opening made both men scramble back when they saw a thug had pried it open. What they did not expect was the man to be blasted back by Lúcio's weapon then shot in the skull by an electricity infused bullet. Sally cautiously stepped out then beamed at both men but did not expect Reaper to materialize in front of her with concern in his posture. He immediately pulled her to him. "Are you hurt?"

She chuckled before smiling softly at him. "No. You protected me, remember?"

"Good," he murmured as he lifted up his mask slightly to give her a strong kiss before releasing her. "Soldier!" he shouted as he turned away slightly. "Is it clear now?"

"It seems so." The doctor smiled at both men as they examined the corpses, Lúcio trailing slightly behind them perplexed by the sight in front of him. "Maybe we can try to find something out about them.

"Did you drain their souls, again?" Sally quietly asked as she rolled over a body with her foot. The white haired soldier frowned in distaste while Lúcio looked slightly nauseous at the thought. Sure enough, she trailed her fingers down the sagging but empty feeling skin and shook her head slightly before turning towards the slightly sheepish mercenary.

"...Sorry."

She sighed slightly and shrugged her shoulders. "We'll get to the bottom of this. I promise." She motioned her hands towards the bodies before rising and walking past them. "There has to be some corpse that he didn't soul suck."

"Please don't call it that," he groaned as he rubbed the side of his head not covered by his mask.

"What would you call this? _Reaping_?" she retorted before she saw him awkwardly rub the back of his head with his shotgun. "Oh god. You do. No me jodas."

"Lo siento," he murmured quietly as she started to chuckle slightly. He noticed Lúcio smile softly and even Soldier: 76 smirk. "What are you fuckers looking at?"

"We need to come up with a plan. Sally? Find anything?" Morrison interjected before he could argue with his old friend. "We need to do something about these bodies."

"I could try to burn them," Sally offered as she let electricity spark between her fingertips. "After we identify and get any information from them that is. Even the bodies that are drained still have fingerprints and teeth that could be examined. They still have clothing that we can search." She moved some of the loose flaps of skin on a man's face to extract a tooth quickly before closing his mouth. She noticed Lúcio's jaw tense at the sight. "You don't look too well," she noted. "You should go back in the bus. I know you aren't used to..."

"You guys were right. Vishkar were more politically correct about fighting. There never was anything graphic like this... Even the infamous Symmetra..." he began before frowning. "She never would have tolerated this."

Both of the former commanders perked up. "I've heard of her," Reaper commented quietly. "Works for Vishkar covertly to enforce any loose ends or force through a contract. Heard she caused quite a commotion to get them a contract in Rio de Janeiro." He paused before continuing. "Despite having some ties to Talon, they seem reluctant to involve their agent in any schemes."

"After Brazil, they must be trying to drag themselves back into the public's good graces," Morrison hummed knowingly. "If they had another revolutionary or someone snitch on them because of connections to Talon..." He gave a meaningful look to Sally before glancing at Reaper. The medic was so busy examining another body that she did not think much of his pause while Reaper crossed his arms threateningly at him. "No matter. Lúcio, where is your next destination?"

"Hollywood actually," he hummed slightly in an effort to distract himself from the carnage he was surrounded by. "I hear it is a nice bustling area but still has some anti-Omnic sentiment."

"Very urban but yes. While subdued anyone who loudly speaks against Omnics are not popular. Unfortunately, they are borderline radical," Reaper informed them. "It'll be interesting to go there."

"Oh?" Sally glanced at the mercenary. "Didn't think you'd take an interest in a location."

"Well, it's home. Or was anyway before the military."

"You always have a home. Whether it is there... or with me," she offered quietly. He walked towards her and helped her up from examining another body. "That one over there still looks normal. Can you intentionally try to absorb the soul?"

He glanced towards the DJ who looked sick at the thought and the grim soldier who looked like he wanted to put a bullet in him for trying before glancing back at the focused doctor. "I suppose no harm."

"Alright. Time to find out what makes this... Reaping work." She dragged along the grumpy mercenary to another body and stood him next to it while examining it carefully.

Lúcio glanced at the couple before turning to the soldier next to him. "They're a weird couple."

Soldier: 76 gave a very stiff nod. "I don't even know how it works. She protects him and he protects her but they shouldn't fit together. Yet..."

"Now is a poor time to not soul suck," she groaned as she dragged Reaper to crouch next to her above the body. "How am I going to get results to fix any problems you have if you don't present them to me?"

"Well, when I took their souls earlier," Reaper muttered in utter refusal to call it soul sucking. "I had minor injuries. Nothing worth troubling you over. Just minor scrapes and such. Maybe when I have no physical injuries after a fight, nothing happens?"

"I could fix that," Soldier: 76 chirped in while Reaper shot a rude hand gesture to him in response.

"I don't want you hurt just to test a theory," she murmured quietly after shooting an annoyed look at Morrison. "We'll try another time during the next fight."

"You realize how impractical that is, right?" Reaper pointed out. "I would prefer not to lug around dead bodies and such. But our other two..." He motioned towards the queasy looking celebrity and the not so much pale but now green soldier. "You wouldn't really enjoy the bodies in the hot sun. Just trust me on that. And during an actual battle, I can't just put my hands up and say, 'Can we pause a moment? My doctor needs to test out a theory on how I heal with souls.'"

"Fine, fine. You made your point," she huffed slightly. "I'll give you a papercut or something."

Despite it being covered by the hood and mask, Reaper felt the side of his head twitch slightly. " _Papercut_? No me jodas," he hissed darkly, repeating her earlier words.

"I'm not fucking around. I don't want to do something and then you can't heal. Damn it. Is it so bad that I don't want you hurt?" she responded in protest as she hugged him tightly. He grunted slightly at the unexpected motion and was pretty stiff before Soldier: 76 rolled his eyes behind the visor and strode over.

"Oh for fucks sake. Here," he muttered as he yanked back Reaper and twisted his arm tight enough to cause a cracking sound that made Lúcio wince. "There. He might even have a few bruises you can test out."

"¡Qué te jodan!" Reaper hissed slightly. "You could have given some warning there. I might be numb to some pain but this is rather uncomfortable."

Sally led him over to the body and watched slightly as sure enough, little orbs slid out of the body towards him. "Clothes off," she muttered as she watched the orbs.

"Wrong time to be turned on, doc," Soldier: 76 growled from the sidelines.

"I have to see how his body reacts or does your visor see through this thick ass jacket and armor? No? Thought so. Clothes now," she turned towards the mercenary who grunted slightly.

"Fine." He quickly shed off his gauntlets and gloves to not tear his clothing and shucked the longcoat. He barely had time to shed the armor when the orbs reached him. They seemed to dance around the injured arm before ascending to the shoulder region. Sally gasped as it sunk into his skin. "What is it?" he pondered as he ignored the orbs dancing around his injury.

"You have absorbed when not injured though, right?"

He paused and thought on it as he turned to watch the last of the orbs sink into his arm as it began to right itself before their eyes. "If hadn't eaten in awhile. Actual food. Not souls. Stop looking at me like I'm a complete monster," he hissed towards Soldier: 76.

"You're as human as I am," Sally told him with conviction but she didn't notice Morrison's uncomfortable shuffling and because of the mask, would not see the guilty expression on Reyes' face. "Your body must use souls like a pick-me-up when you're not injured. Don't you recover naturally?"

"Yes but it takes longer than this. Faster than normal humans," he confirmed before motioning towards his arm. "Are we done? I don't want to burn in this hot sun."

"It would make up for all the times you used to tease me," Soldier: 76 muttered lowly. "You got real pale."

"My body was practically dead and you got even more pale than I am. I'm more... ashen."

"Oh stop trying to be the edgy one." Despite his words, there was a slight smile on his lips as he scanned the perimeter. "I have to admit though. To heal like that is dead useful. I'd be screwed if I ran out of biotic emitters." He motioned towards Sally and Lúcio. "Actually if we ever did combat operations, this would be a nice dream team. Everyone could heal in their own way if I understood how Lúcio's music helps."

"Why would I do combat operations?" Sally questioned with a frown. Reaper picked up on her tone right away as well while he was gathering other bodies.

"You're not dragging her into Overwatch to go on some bullshit mission, are you?" he hissed as he reached for a shotgun. "She's not a soldier like us and you know it. She didn't go through the same training and preparation we did."

"But I could have... for all we know," she said quietly with a sad tone. "Whatever my mother did..." She paused as she looked at Lúcio who had his head tilted towards her in confusion. "Let's not discuss this now. In any case, we have to help Lúcio don't we?"

"We do. And Reaper can look into whatever your mother did. Actually... Her name was Brigitte wasn't it?"

"The German. Reinhardt was accompanied by a woman named that when he was forcibly retired. I believe she had brown hair and freckles," Reaper confirmed. "It is a longshot though. She is younger. Much younger than what Sally's mother would have been anyway. She did have blue eyes like the cyborg but it likely is a name coincidence and nothing more."

"I'll ask him about it," Soldier: 76 persisted.

"You can't just interrogate someone over their name and appearance," Sally groaned as she watched the pile of bodies heap up. "Just drop it."

"If it can help," he insisted but her look darkened.

"Jack. Drop it. We'll find out something else but you're not dragging any innocents into my mother's mess," she swore darkly before holding her hand towards the bodies. "Anyways. I'm going to try something."

"What are you...?" Reaper began before he saw the bolt of electricity arc out and swarm the bodies. Sparks seemed to fly between them before it caught aflame. "Ah. Disposal. We could have gone about it a different way."

"Had to test it out," she said somewhat sheepishly as the bodies began to char. "Now what?"

"We should stop here or at least nearby for now and rest a bit. At night, we can move," Soldier: 76 declared.

"Sally? Can you cover an open area with your electricity to detect movement?" Reaper inquired and she gave a half shrug. "Maybe there is a nearby cave we could park the vehicles in and you could shield there?"

"Yeah. That would work. I think we saw something earlier."

"Yeah. Should fit the bus and the car," Soldier: 76 confirmed. "So Lúcio, I hope you know how to drive the bus."

"I do," Sally volunteered but both former soldiers shook their heads adamantly. "Fine then."

"You'll ride inside the bus until we get to the cave. But you're not driving. Lúcio, knock her out if you must. She must not touch the steering wheel," Reaper stated darkly.

"Then that means only you will drive my car," she retorted back. "I don't trust Morrison with my vehicle."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he muttered in annoyance.

"She's picky about who touches the Tesla," Reaper clarified. "And it's better that way and just suck it up. I drive better than her."

"Thank god something went right," the white haired vigilante muttered under his breath. "Reaper, did you take stock of the tour bus?"

"Yes. There is space for us to rest but we shouldn't be alone in case one gets assassinated."

"So we got to pair up?" Lúcio clarified. The other two men nodded. "And I know it seems you like two want to protect me and Miss Sally Jones but... don't pair us together please." At Soldier: 76's raised eyebrow, he clarified. "I'm not stupid enough to sleep with or next to another man's woman."

"You'll be with Soldier: 76," Reaper confirmed as he reached out for the keys to drive the Tesla.

"It's all good," Lúcio chirped. "I'm a bit of a cuddler but I can give you space," the Brazilian teased, causing the doctor to laugh. "Unless you want that," he winked at the elder soldier, causing him to flush slightly.

"Let's just get moving," he muttered under his breath at the laughing couple and smirking DJ. _Damn youngsters._


	10. Capture the Payload!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Work was killing me with 6 hour work weeks! Here you go, lovelies!

 

Reaper stirred slightly as he felt Sally shift next to him and whimper in her sleep. While not an unusual occurrence, he usually would just need to gather her to his body and she would quiet down. However, this morning would prove different. “Sally?” he murmured gently in an attempt to wake her but her brow merely furrowed.

 _“Salvation is planning for the future,”_ she intoned darkly. _“It is most interesting. In her interactions with other agents, she appears to be sizing them up. When I inquired as to exactly what she was doing, she said she would ensure the continuation of her superior genetic foundation. That is definitely a trait I instilled into her but she has not even hit puberty yet. I find it disturbing that since becoming that electric being has triggered more dangerous and, dare I say, aggressive behaviors. While the Salvation of the past was content to be a tool handled by Talon through me, this Salvation is now a barely contained abomination. This Salvation would strike at those who made her and smite them for their insolence in daring create imperfection by forging a false god. I am sorry... my daughter.”_

“Pinche mierda. Sally!” he shook her slightly before scowling. Her mouth was about to form more words before he did the first thing that came to his mind. He pressed his lips to hers and was surprised by the slight gasp. He nibbled her lips slightly and was pleased to hear a moan despite the situation. “Sally?” he withdrew slightly to see her. Her eyes were slowly fluttering open and filled with fog.

“Gabriel?” she rasped out slightly, voice slightly shaky. “Not that I don’t mind...” she looked down towards where he had pinned her to the bed with his own body to try to keep her still. “But what was going on?”

“Another journal entry. Except you recited it,” he informed her grimly. Her eyes widened out of disbelief. “Somewhere in your mind, you know all of what happened. I don’t think you did it intentionally but this is worrying.”

“Damn,” she muttered as he slid off of her and took his hand as he reached out for her. Sitting up, she rubbed her head. “What... What did I say?”

“As a child, you looked at other agents as to who would be best to create a new generation of...” He paused at the revolted look on her face. “You obviously have the gist of it. Also, some bit about your transformation making you more aggressive.”

“Lovely. Like my life needed more darkness to it,” she rolled her eyes. “You’re all the darkness I need.”

Reaper could not help but tilt his head towards her. “You don’t know what you’re saying, woman.”

The bright smile he received made him want to squirm slightly. “And you give yourself too little credit, Gabriel.” She stretched slightly and scooted off the bed. “Shall we see if Jack and Lúcio are awake?”

“Sure,” he murmured as he took her hand. “Doubt the farm boy got any sleep with his antsy roommate. Today’s young people I swear...”

“Viejo,” she teased him with a smile. It only grew more pronounced at his frown. “Let’s go. We need to tell Jack about the dream or whatever anyway.”

“Lúcio will figure out something,” he pointed out. “Kid is a revolutionary with a following. He knows how to gather information, if he hasn’t already.”

“He knows something is up. I’ve caught some devices already strategically placed in his bus. Some before we decided to sleep in it,” she pointed out with something that almost sounded like pride. “Kid is smart. People see the happy-go-lucky attitude, similar to Tracer’s, and they underestimate him. They forget the one who masterminded the undermining of Vishkar’s efforts in Brazil.”

“True... Fuck, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jack tries to recruit him,” Gabriel mused as they headed towards the kitchen of the tour bus. He hummed contently on seeing it unoccupied. “Finally something good about today. Jack always was a morning person and I can’t deal with the kid’s upbeat vibe this early.”

“Vibe? Wow, you learned the lingo,” Sally teased him with a smirk as she made her way to the coffee machine. “Still odd that they slept in. What time is it again?” She pressed a button on the coffee machine and was greeted with neon numbering. “Oh... 4:00 am. That’s... a bit early.”

“Still more sleep than what I used to get,” the mercenary chuckled dryly before sighing at the smell of fresh coffee beans being added to the machine. “I’m surprised you don’t drink much of the coffee yourself.”

“Too bitter. More like coffee in the milk for me,” she said before pausing. “And I’d rather have a soda in the morning for a caffeine boost if I needed it.”

“That’s unhealthy,” Gabriel hissed as he watched the coffee being poured into his mug.

“And so is your soul eating,” she said quietly. She put down the coffee pot onto the warmer and dug into the refrigerator to look for food. “Does consuming anything feel different?”

“It’s been a week since the last Reaping,” he replied as he sipped at the strong coffee. “The less I Reap, the more I taste food. Caffeine too seems to hit me and crash me harder. I assume it would be the same with alcohol or anything that could inhibit my senses.”

“Interesting,” she hummed softly as she finally settled on bagels and cream cheese. “I wonder if you could stop consuming souls entirely or would being too close to a body stop you from being able to stop.”

“The thought of trying to not...” He paused as he heard almost metallic steps and a slight musical beat.

“I thought I smelled some great coffee!” Lúcio chirped as he practically swayed into the bus’s kitchen. “Soldier won’t wake up either. Old men these days,” he hummed as he held out his coffee cup.

Sally laughed as she poured some of the brew. “Since you’re awake, does that mean we need to move out soon?”

“He’ll be pissed if we start without him being awake and in the car with me,” Reaper grumbled. Him and Soldier: 76 gave up trying to hide their faces from the inquisitive DJ but they always hid their names. _I bet he knows our real first names at least... I wonder..._ Reaper stared hard at the Brazilian but he gave no indication that the gaze bothered him yet alone that he knew or cared about their names. “If I got in the car alone, he’d assume I pulled a runner.”

“I see,” Sally said softly as she split a bagel with Lúcio.

“I wouldn’t leave you behind, mi corazon,” Reaper murmured as he reached out for her. It was one of the times he liked not having his clawed gloves on as he could feel her hand reach for him and clench his own. He rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand before continuing, “If you drive the car, he’d assume you pulled the runner or were backing out.”

“And then he’d pursue me because he is so single minded about shit sometimes,” she groaned lowly.

“About what?” a sharp voice barked before walking into the kitchen. “Is that...”

“I’ll pour you some if you just sit your ass down,” Reaper groaned. “It’s too early to deal with you, Boy Scout.”

“And you could cut it with a knife,” Lúcio snickered as he started to spread cream cheese on his now toasted bagel.

“Even time apart couldn’t change these two completely,” Sally laughed as the two started glaring at each other. “At least we aren’t far away from Hollywood.”

“Home sweet home,” Reaper hissed as he put down his coffee. “I’ll be back.”

“What are you...?” Soldier: 76 began but the kitchen door slammed. Sally shrugged as she resumed eating. “Aren’t you going after him?”

“Give the man some space,” she said as she motioned to him. “He isn’t going to leave.”

“How do you know that?” the white haired soldier asked seriously. “If you told me back then that he would...”

“Oh, stop getting hung up over that,” Sally barked. “That shit happened years ago. He needs to get over it too but you as well!” She huffed as she poured some coffee for the soldier. “Don’t give me that look. I’ve grown immune to it.”

“It’s not you he’s giving the look to,” Lúcio snickered as he tossed over some bagels to the older agent. “How long do you let the mercenary brood?”

Sally pursed her lips slightly. “He’s not in the greatest mood to begin with.” She paused slightly as she noticed Lúcio’s curious look before continuing. “One of my dreams revealed some information pertaining to what Amelie has been passing onto us.”

“Shit. Sorry,” Soldier: 76 gruffly apologized. “I thought he was just being a moody fuck.”

“You two have that effect on each other,” Lúcio noted. “I may not have the full story like Miss Sally, but I can tell that there is something more.”

“Friendship heavily salted by rivalry. Thankfully with a bit less hatred,” the white haired man groused.

“Sounding oddly defensive there,” the medic smirked. “Although hearing about less hatred does make me happy. Reaper is enjoying some of the time with you.”

“Some of the time?” the former commander scoffed with doubt as he drank his coffee.

“Baby steps. He has to keep some of those sharp edges about him.” She crushed her soda can and threw it away. “Keep him in line, Lúcio. I don’t want them trying to kill themselves while in _my_ car.”

“Yes, madame.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Soldier: 76 protested loudly as he stood up but was merely yanked back down.

Sally had merely laughed at his antics as she walked out, intent in finding Gabriel. It was not unexpected to see him back in their room but instead of cleaning his shotguns, he was going over hers. “You know better than to be unarmed during these times,” he scolded her softly as he carefully handed her the firearm.

“If something were to happen to me, I know you would protect me in the end.”

“But who would protect you from me?” Reaper hissed darkly as he crossed his arms. He did not need leather or a grim mask to be intimidating but Sally did not flinch at his posture nonetheless. Instead, she came any closer. “I’m serious, woman.”

“As am I.” She wound her arms around him and he slackened slightly, relaxing in her touch. “As touching as it is to see you protective...”

“Feh,” he scoffed but she saw the slight upturn of his lip.

“We have a DJ to transport and an old soldier to ditch afterwards,” she winked playfully. “I don’t want to join Overwatch and I suspect, neither will you.”

“Becoming impervious at times to attacks does not mean I want to be on the receiving end of the dwarf’s turret or the giant’s hammer,” the mercenary recalled. “My information indicated they rejoined as well.”

“Oh they did?” Sally smiled slightly. “I always liked listening to them speak,” she hummed as she reminisced.

“And why would that be?” Gabriel hissed.

She gave an awkward laugh. “Well, you know how in the States, we all made huge deals about accents and such... I bet even in California, you liked hearing an accent here and there.”

“I could go home or record myself to hear an accent,” he scoffed in annoyance. “You yourself are multilingual. Why the fascination?”

“Small town, remember? It was always nice to hear... Experience more things?”

“And am I another experience to check off the proverbial list?” he grunted before backing out of her grasp. “I’m grabbing Jack to get your car. Yes, I still have the keys. The Brazilian is taking the wheel of the tour bus as always. We should make it to Hollywood soon then you can have your precious experiences once you are in that vile city.”

As Reaper used his Wraith form to exit the room, Sally’s head had tipped slightly to the side in confusion. “Did I... miss something?” she spoke out loud before massaging the sides of her head. Even with faster than normal mental processing, she still frowned. “Does he think I’m with him for...”

Before she could finish her verbalization, she saw the darker youth enter the open room awkwardly. “So... Mr. Tall, Dark, and Edgy kind of dragged out Soldier to the car and revved up the engine. Are you ready to go?”

An impatient car horn preempted any response from the medic. “I don’t think we have a choice, Lúcio.” He snickered slightly and left towards the front of the bus while she rifled around in the room for her laptop. She dragged that towards the front of the bus and plugged in as he began to rev up the vehicle. “So, what tunes for the drive?”

He grinned brightly at the medic. “I can listen to my stuff whenever, Miss Sally. Let me hear some of your music for a change.”

She shrugged and switched on her music player. “As you wish.”

There was a slight crackle before the song began. _“Once more I say good bye to you...”_

Meanwhile, a certain gamer had finished adding that very song to the end of her stream. “Wow guys! That was some old music but pretty strong lyrics, isn’t that right? Like, I didn’t think I’d lose one of my gamer friends so harshly but tragedies happen in the least expected ways. Anyway, I’m going to end it on that note. Take care, guys! D. Va out!” She clicked a button and ended a stream before letting a frown take over her face. _Marco was supposed to meet me at this concert... He was the last raid buddy I had left who could even be a challenge anymore._

Hana Song sighed as she walked out of her room. While many people saw the perfect gamer setup, sometimes she felt like it was a cage of technology and corporate endorsements. While she was glad to have a similar setup in many cities, at the same time the rigid exactness was grating. While sometimes in gaming, predictability was a good thing when it came to countering, in other ways, it was stifling her creative side. Huffing, she unlocked the window and pitched herself out of the townhouse. She chirped happily as she grabbed a clothesline and swung up slightly before landing on the ground. A kid who was walking nearby gasped in amazement. “Wow!” he squealed before running down the street.

The young Korean smiled before walking down the street. Without her distinctive face paint or outfit, she noticed no one paid her any attention which was a blessing. While she enjoyed the attention from her multitude of fans, sometimes it made the most basic of things difficult. Humming along to a song she heard in the distance, she gasped as she saw a poster for Lúcio’s latest concern being posted. She ran up to the window with a big grin. While not an official poster, it was pretty good. “It looks hand drawn too or at least made on a  specialized computer... I wonder...” She walked in and paused slightly as the clerk looked like he was in the middle of drawing something else. “Excuse me but...”

“One moment, miss.” He flicked a button on his screen and D. Va noted it seemed to add an electrical effect to the picture he was creating. “Now, how can I help you?”

“Did you draw the Lúcio?” she squealed in anticipation. “How much is it?”

“Not for sale,” he said before pressing another button to make the electrical effect pulse. “That work is for me alone to own and others to see. I have made other Lúcio inspired works...” He motioned towards a wall detailing many doodles of the celebrity musician, including a few cutesy works. “Those are for sale. Please respect an artist's wishes, Miss Song.”

“How do you know...” D. Va internally panicked as she remembered her agent’s words. _Shit..._

“I’d be a poor artist if I didn’t know my subjects,” the merchant winked before motioning towards another wall that was full of artwork of the diva gamer. “You aren’t the only one but yeah. There you are.”

“Oh sweet!” D. Va practically screeched as she ran over to the various artworks. She made sure to ignore the ones that portrayed herself with a more voluptuous (or polar opposite) body and focused more on the other works. “These are really awesome. What else do you...” She started to examine the art that she noticed the vendor was working on. “Is that of...”

“Sally Jones. A doctor who participated in Overwatch’s Medwatch program. And...” His eyes started shining with hope. “My latest idol.”

The gamer felt a sweatdrop run down the back of her head. “And why is that?”

“Think of it this way,” he proclaimed dramatically. “Ordinary woman apparently isn’t ordinary. She has...” he paused dramatically. “Electricity. She can perplex. She can zap. She can...” He stopped when he noticed that his audience had vanished. “Where did she...”

Hana Song though had just barely dashed around the corner outside and breathed a sigh of relief. “Well that was odd. I’ll send an agent to buy stuff there instead of going myself,” she murmured as she wiped off her brow. As if being summoned, a distinctive rhythm of beeps alerted her to her phone. “Yes?”

“That concert you want to go to, Miss Song,” the agent drawled. “I believe he is here.”

Her eyes widened with hope. “Lúcio is always so careful when traveling and is difficult to track down! How did you...” She stopped when a black bus drove past her closely followed by a pair of arguing men in unusual attire driving a very expensive car that the video gamer recognized as a Tesla. One had a dark hood partially draped over his his head, obscuring his face while the other was a white haired male who seemed to wore a perpetual frown. _He reminds me of my dad..._ “Boram, I’ll call you back.” She hung up on the protesting agent before pressing a button on her watch near her MEKA activation alert. A bright pink motorcycle roared to life nearby and headed her way. Not even blinking, she flung over self onto it and revved the motor. “I need to see what that is about. I need... the excitement.”

The roar of the automobile however did not go unnoticed despite Soldier: 76 and Reaper’s bickering. “For the tenth time, that is not an authentic taco. Now...” Without missing a beat, he tapped carefully on the dash to alert his frenemy about their tail. “Let me explain to you again and hope you don’t just tune it out.”

“The blonde jokes won’t stick anymore,” he smirked back as he tapped a similar sequence back before slipping on his visor. “I don’t know any local places. Not my turf, remember?”

“Because other than Hollywood when the UN dragged you there, you never really learned the area,” he scoffed back as he tapped again with one of his clawed gloves. “Keep the visor on. Might see something useful.”

“Well, it’s not a threat yet,” he chuckled as he reclined slightly. “Maybe the tour bus’s camera can pull it up?”

“Maybe,” Reaper murmured as he tapped into his phone for a moment.

“How do you not break your phone screen with those gloves?” Morrison blurted out to receive a searing glare despite Reaper being hooded.

“You’re an idiot, Morrison. Now quiet.” It was almost immediate when the phone picked up. “Sally. Cameras. Now.”

“It’s dangerous to use a phone and drive,” she chided him slightly but the two men could hear the buttons of a laptop clicking away. “What am I looking for?”

“Rear camera. Our tail might realize we’re onto her.”

“Tail?” Her frown was audible as she growled in frustration. “Plate is foreign. I’ll need to zoom in to read it.”

“How many languages can you read?” Soldier: 76 grunted slightly.

“Well... Not this one. It’s Korean,” she groaned. “Never got around to learning it.”

“There isn’t any Talon bases in Korea. The Giant Omnics are too much of a problem for them to want to really stick around and establish anything there,” Reaper pointed out. “And there were no prominent agent I can think of that...”

“How deep into Talon’s infrastructure are you?” Soldier: 76 interrupted gruffly. “Because if you’re holding back on me, no amount of prior friendship...”

“What is it you’re saying? I’m not going to betray her but as for you...” Reaper hissed back as he began to reach for his shotgun. “I’m just saying I can’t think of any agent that is a threat that...”

“But you’re still familiar with their roster,” the white haired soldier persisted. “And thus, if you let us know... Share some of that damn intel and...”

The threatening click of the shotgun made Sally growl over the phone. “You two are like children.” She chose to ignore the snickers from Lúcio. “I zoomed in on the girl’s face. Lúcio recognized her.”

“But isn’t it dangerous for him to look at a screen while driving?” Soldier: 76 drawled back and despite his annoyance, Reaper could not help but laugh. “Why the silence?”

“...Push him out of the car.”

The white haired soldier raised an eyebrow. “Now that is really dangerous. He wouldn’t really...” he paused as he noted the mercenary roll his eyes as he unbuckled his seatbelt while driving. “What the fuck?”

“I can’t die from a simple car crash if I Wraith,” Reaper grunted. “And if Sally really wants to risk her Tesla for the sake of sarcastic amusement...”

“Shit! No. Don’t push him out of the car. Drive safe,” Sally pleaded over the phone, barely drowning out Lúcio’s laughter. “Anyways. The one following us is that D. Va girl. She is a celebrity through the internet and video gaming. That means no killing her, gentlemen.”

“That wasn't my first thought,” Reaper scoffed.

The other three mentally sighed. _That really was your first thought._

“Anyways,” the mercenary grunted in annoyance as he realized what the others were thinking. “Do we confront our tail or do we actually try to lose her? Ignoring her will draw more attention than either option. People famous through the internet sometimes do dramatic things to get the attention of those they want. That is the last thing we need. We already got a fame magnet driving the bus and we don’t need another.”

Soldier: 76 sighed but knew his old friend was right. “But who is she after? Lúcio? The tour bus is rather...”

“Obvious?” Sally chirped in.

“Flashy?” Lúcio added.

“Obnoxious,” Reaper growled.

“Well yes,” the gruff soldier admitted. “So, it really is out of our hands if she really wants to meet him. But how did she know he’s on the bus? The windows are tinted.”

Reaper glanced and shook his head at his comrade. “And once again, the concept of being covert, stealthy, or discreet eludes thee.”

“Well, I’m sorry that I didn’t end up in Blackwatch,” the white haired man hissed lowly.

Lúcio started snickering over the phone. “Before Miss Sally attempts to glare you two quiet...” He did a sharp turn that was able to make the medic yelp in protest and cause the two fighters in the Tesla to curse. “I actually do want to meet D. Va.”

“Damn it! This wasn’t in the... WATCH WHERE THE FUCK YOU’RE DRIVING, REYES!” The white haired soldier borderline screeched as Reaper quickly pushed the brakes, fishtailing slightly before resuming guarding the tour bus. The man paled slightly as the car shook but that was nothing compared to the dangerous swaying of the motorcycle behind them driven by the Korean gamer. He decided to abandon the pretense of being oblivious to their tail and looked back at her. The steely, determined look in her eyes pulled at Soldier: 76’s instincts and he found himself respecting the young woman. “She must be on pure adrenaline now,” he mused softly.

“I’d recommend you look forward,” Reaper warned him. “Otherwise, you could get whiplash.”

“How would I...? Oh fucking hell,” he swore as he saw the tour bus pull into a nearby parking lot and quickly stop. A shriek sounded from the still connected cell phone before the call finally was hung up. Knowing he had no other choice, Reaper drove the Tesla into the parking lot with a sharp turn. Morrison mentally thanked his friend for not letting him break his neck but massaged it just in case. “This better be worth it.”

The tell-tale screech of the motorcycle parking caught their attention. Reaper scowled as he knew that approaching the situation with a gun in hand was a recipe for disaster. “I’ve read the file Talon has on her. Hana Song. She’s a video gaming world champion from Korea with an extremely popular and followed stream. On top of that, she is a MEKA pilot who regularly faces off with the giant Omnics that plague Korea still to this day. She... could be trouble.”

“We’re a magnet for that,” Soldier: 76 scowled as the young girl who took off her helmet and was smirking at the two men. “Shouldn’t you be in school, young lady?”

Without his mask to hide his incredulity, Reaper’s jaw dropped in a rather undignified manner visible to all. “Really Morrison? That’s the first thing you say?” he hissed in utter disbelief.

She however did not seem fazed at all as she smiled winningly at both men. “I assure you, I completed my education. Unless, you really feel like getting schooled, Gramps?” she smirked, aiming her jab towards the white haired man.

Morrison however was less than amused as he clenched his teeth. “What was that, young lady?” he scowled in response. Reyes’ snickers did not help his mood. “Want to add some snarky comment?”

“I’m perfectly fine in the background,” the mercenary intoned. He turned his attention to the young gamer who was giving both men a calculating look. “What I’m wondering is what you are doing here, Hana Song?”

The brunette gave a wink before dramatically motioning towards herself. “You must be a true fan to know my name,” she said with a smile that died the second she noticed how heavily armed the dark haired man was. _Those two shotguns must have some serious damage output..._ “So... lovely weather we’re having,” she chuckled nervously before glancing at her watch. _Shit. If I have to call in MEKA for a non-Omnic situation, I would get scolded. And the Gramps looked like he has a really big gun. Shit._

“I won’t ask again,” Reaper intoned darkly.

“Reaper,” the white haired male said quietly but with a hint of command that made the other man bristle with agitation.

“What?” he barked. “Don’t think I can’t handle an interrogation?”

The Korean swallowed thickly at the sharp words. _Interrogation? Me?_ “I’m just...”

“Following us around? What did you expect was so interesting that you could tail us?” Reaper pressed before lowering one of his hands to touch a shotgun. He noted the young girl’s eyes widen on seeing the light glint off of his clawed gloves and smirked darkly. “I’m no amateur in this game. I have all day.”

“She’s just a kid,” Soldier: 76 began but he found himself staring down the barrel of the infamous shotgun himself. D. Va yelped in alarm as Reaper’s fingers rhythmically tapped at the gun, almost in boredom.

“If I wanted your fucking advice, I’d ask for it. Until then, zip it.” He turned his face slowly and began staring down the now nervous Korean gamer. He looked completely unconcerned by the fact her eyes were essentially glued to the weapon that was still aimed towards the pale ex-commander. “Now then...”

Before D. Va’s hand could twitch to her watch to call down a MEKA, she heard the tour bus door bang open and a blur practically fly out. Blinking her eyes, she noted the brown haired female dry heaving at the ground. “I’m so sorry, Miss Jones,” a slightly accented voice pleaded.

Hana’s eyes widened as she took in the image of a concerned Lúcio, patting the back of the woman with one hand while holding a bottle of water with the other. “Damn it, Lúcio. Who taught you to drive that way? And to try it with a tour bus...”

“Deep breaths. I suppose the saying is true that doctors are the worse patients,” he tried to chuckled before he received a glare from the brunette. “I’m sorry?”

Sally gave a few dry coughs before glancing up and realizing that a shocked gamer and the two soldiers were looking at her with concern. “Well then...” she muttered as the gamer looked at her and recognized her judging by the gleam in her eye. “I hate being recognized,” Sally muttered lowly.

“You get used to it,” Lúcio beamed at the medic before stepping carefully past her towards the young gamer. D. Va’s heart was racing as he held out his hand. “D. Va in the flesh, woo!” The Korean could not help but giggle at his apparent enthusiasm. “Can I get your autograph?”

Her eyes crinkled in joy and relief. _If he’s okay with these two guys and The Sally Jones, it must be fine._ “Only if I can get yours too! I love your new album.” Her eyes glanced towards the medic who was now leaning on the tour bus, gulping down water like it was god sent. “Is that... The Sally Jones?”

The medic groaned at having the article attached to her name. “Sally Jones. No The please. It makes me feel like some kind of weapon and I’m not so much a fan of that.” She pressed the cold bottle to her forehead and waved off the dark haired man who was about to head over there in concern. “I’m fine. Fighting down the nausea.”

Lúcio chuckled nervously as Reaper turned a dark glare to him. “Apologies, avô.”

While the mercenary’s eyes narrowed dangerously, he softened them when he heard the medic chortle. Finally, to Soldier: 76’s relief, he lowered the shotgun that was still aimed at his throat and walked over to Sally. “You alright?” he asked quietly as he reached a hand towards her.

“Now I am,” she smiled softly as she clasped her hand. She chuckled at the static electricity slightly zapping both of them. “And there is a spark between us.”

He shook his head slightly but she caught the slight smile on his face. “So...” He glanced back towards the animately conversing celebrities. Jack Morrison was watching both carefully and sternly with his arms crossed. The slight tick on his head showing his annoyance at fending off protective father jokes from both youths. “Should we rescue him?”

Reaper looked thoughtful for a moment before smirking evilly at his friend. “Nah,” he muttered as he leaned towards Sally and gave a peck to her forehead. She blushed slightly at the affectionate gesture. “We could always slink off. Lúcio has been taken to Hollywood and he’ll be fine with D. Va. As for the asshole...”

“I can hear you two,” the white haired man scowled as he stalked over to them. He pulled the couple close to himself and growled lowly. “If you dare leave me with these two...”

“Come on, old man.” Lúcio swung an arm over the former commander’s shoulders.

Despite his prior words, he could not help the bark of laughter that escaped him. “What could I talk to you all about?” He even motioned towards the couple. “These two are absorbed in their own world and you two...” He waved towards D. Va and Lúcio. “Have your stardom and talents to go on about.”

“To be fair,” the young Korean interjected. “Sally Jones is pretty much an internet sensation.” Her words caused the medic to groan. “No lie! Lúcio’s stream about you caused the amount of hits for your name to skyrocket! You even have fans.”

“...What?” the medic choked out. “Fans? I have people who listen to my lectures and...”

“You have fan art,” she clarified. “It looked pretty badass actually.”

“Can’t I ever escape attention?” she scowled downwards. “I’m lucky to not encounter anyone but...” She sighed. “My professional life is basically over. I can’t ever hold another lecture, another talk... Anything!” She began to pace in irritation. “All everyone will care about are the volts I can control and the power they don’t understand.” As she walked, her hair frizzed slightly due to the static electricity running through it. “I...” She stopped and clenched her fists. “Now, no matter what I do...”

“The fact is that Talon is targeting you to some extent,” Reaper finally interrupted, “means that this fiasco was bound to happen. Luckily for you, being able to control your powers to some extent mean you were able throw them off. I don’t think they expected you to have that.”

“So they expected me to be...”

“Excuse me but did you mention Talon?” D. Va spoke up. “This is a little bit shushed up but the Korean military suspects Talon of aiding the Giant Omnics indirectly. Deliberately sinking ships off the Korean shoreline.” Reaper’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“From what I heard, at least five vessels in the last year alone were lost. The loss of ships were judged to be due to...”

“Omnics grabbing the ships and literally draggin them down. Tons and tons of weapons, power cores and such happen to be onboard there too?” The Korean tapped her head. “I might be a gamer but I can think you know! After a ship or two, it would be logical to stop sending ships along the coastline but it keeps continuing.”

Soldier: 76 scowled. “So just their _supply routes_ could tip a bit of a...”

“Fuck,” Reaper roared as he reached for his phone. His clawed gloves almost scratched the screen in his haste. “Talon had a shipment that was due to arrive tomorrow...” He dialed swiftly before going into the tour bus.

The others stared blankly at him before the rest gradually looked towards Soldier: 76. “Get in. Safer and also, things like this shouldn’t be discussed in the open. Young lady, disable whatever alarm your motorcycle has and I’ll carry it in.”

She raised her eyebrow inquisitively. “Can you even...” she asked as she pushed a button on her watch. Her eyes widened however as she saw with a couple grunts that the white haired man lifted the motorcycle. “Damn.”

“He is pretty cool,” Lúcio gave a low whistle as he was followed by the two ladies.

“Don’t pull a back muscle,” Sally called over. “If necessary, I’ll check you over myself.”

“That isn’t necessary,” the soldier responded gruffly as he placed the motorcycle inside. When the medic tried to approach him, he grabbed her shoulders roughly and kept her at a distance. “What did I just say?” he growled to her before turning away. “Go check on Reaper if you’re so worried.”

Sally frowned as she watched the former commander slink off to his room. _I know things have been tense between us for a while but... why was he so hostile? It’s not like I haven’t seen him before anyway._ Rolling her eyes, she headed towards the room her and Reaper shared while Lúcio and Hana continued to talk in the makeshift kitchen. She noticed the door was not closed and walked in, shutting it behind her. “Gabriel?” she asked quietly.

“I will kill you if you don’t speak plainly!” the mercenary practically roared at his phone. “I have no patience for your riddles and mysteries, woman!”

Sally could barely catch the twinkling French laughter on the other end of the line and frowned. “Is that the medic? Open up a video chat. I want to see her.”

“No.” Sally blinked at the sheer vehemence in the tone. “There is no reason to...”

“Considering that on the Talon shipment I sent over something of her mother’s...” the French woman spoke loudly, knowing that Sally could overhear. Sure enough, the medic practically choked on air at the proclamation. “Would you deny your woman?”

“Gabriel...” Sally spoke clearly. “Please.”

“Dios mio,” he muttered before bringing out a laptop and plugging in the phone into a slot on the side. He lifted the screen up and both former Overwatch members were staring at the smug mug of the assassin formerly known as Amelie Lacroix. “What is so important...”

“Relax, mon cher.” The blue skinned woman smirked as she surveyed the screen. Her gun was laid across her lap as if it was a toy amusing her while she let her fingers tap against her cheek in amusement. She was reclining on a chair that had the effect of arching her back to make her figure seem more prominent without even trying. “This is of great importance.”

“Let’s hear her out and be done with it,” Sally sighed lowly. “Let’s just see how this day gets better and better.” The mercenary scowled and clenched his fist but said nothing.

The French woman’s smirk only grew more pronounced to the point even Reaper had to admit it looked rather preditorial. “See? I respect a woman who is ready to face the day,” she gave a toothy grin. “Anyways. While unearthing more entries...”

“Besides the ones you sent us?” Reaper hissed in annoyance. “What are you holding out on us for?”

Widowmaker’s cheshire smile dropped for a moment and Sally caught the flash of utmost rage present in the woman’s eyes before they went glassy then blank. _Odd, that seems familiar. Like when Mercy and I examined her._

“Monsieur, you forget,” she hissed before all the steel in her voice evaporated immediately. “I owe you _nothing_. I am only affiliated with Talon. And while working with you is a sweet pleasure,” she purred slightly, choosing to ignore the flared nostrils and narrowed glare of the medic. “I am under no obligation to help you.” She waved airily before continuing. “The only reason I am is because it amuses me.”

Sally was about to respond but Reaper intoned darkly. “We aren’t playthings, Amelie.”

The French woman’s blue hue paled slightly before she flushed, the effect almost making her cheeks purple as her accent became very sharp and noticable. “I do not go by that name! Va te faire enculer!”

The medic glanced at Reaper and bit her lip. _Widowmaker is losing her cool. This is unusual. From what Overwatch had on her afterwards to what Gabriel told me, this isn’t her normal behavior. What is..._

“If you aren’t going to help us,” Reaper continued as if not affected by the profane words. “We will do just fine. We don’t need the journal entries.”

Widowmaker sniffed with disdain. “You may be able to tell those lies flawlessly to ze members of Overwatch and that woman of yours but I’ve been around you long enough to know.” She paused for a moment to look at them. “You might have found a way to find ze same information but to make it fair...”

“Make what fair?” Sally interrupted to Reaper’s annoyance. He growled slightly towards her but she crossed her arms. The medic focused on Widowmaker who started to smile at having her prey’s attention. “J’en ai marre. J’en ai ral le cul.” She paced slightly. “You feed us information then turn enigmatic. I know you’re not a good person. It’s obvious. Whatever Talon did to you did not come from nothing, did it? There was some vile part of you that wanted to kill the person who loved and defended you so fiercely. To betray what he worked for. The others try to make you out to be a sweet person, but you never were. I can...”

“Oh? Psychological speculation from thee? I should be impressed,” the sniper smirked. “I even fooled Angela Ziegler into believing I’m well enough to be admitted home but maybe the reason you could tell...” She giggled slightly, a sound that unnerved Reaper due to the hollow, emptiness of it. “You could tell because you are the very same. Some part of you is an electric monster wanting to be unleashed. Sympa.” She glanced at her former comrade and smirked. “Il ne capte rein.”

“Ta gueule,” Sally hissed, her voice becoming hard. “You don’t know...”

“I’ve read far more than I’ve revealed, ma cherie. You are so interesting.”

“Arrête de te la péter,” the medic ground out harshly. “I’m not in the mood to hear your showing off and arrogance.”

“You want to kill, don’t you?” Widowmaker pressed. “You had a taste of ze blood, no? Ze adrenaline? Or has ze sensations not returned yet? Pity.” She glanced towards the testy Reaper, who was visibly irate at all the French words he was trying to mentally translate. “Teach her the ways of the murderer. She’ll enjoy it as do you. And together, you could return.”

“I’ve begun to tire of Talon and unlike you, I’m not a heartless murderer,” he growled. “I do regret how things turned out.”

“For you or Overwatch?” the French woman sneered in irritation. “Did you want to be a vile wisp that no one would ever touch?”

While Reaper swore under his breath in Spanish, Sally did not have the same restraint and instead, tightened her fist as she looked at Widowmaker. “T’es rien qu’un petit connasse.”

Instead of being incensed, the woman gave a tight smile. “Regardless, Talon is aware that I sent something to Hollywood belonging to the mother of Salvation.” Her French accent was bleeding away slightly as her voice became harder. “Follow up or not, I care not. Talon could retrieve what I _lost_. Au revoir!”

As the connection was cut, Gabriel turned to Sally and barely could stop himself from shaking her. “Why would you provoke a trained assassin like that? She could be assigned to kill you and I wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing?”

“Why? Would you leave for Talon?” the medic retorted in irritation.

“No. Rather, she could target you in a moment I don’t pay attention. A well trained sniper like herself doesn’t make mistakes like at the convention. And did you really have to call her that?”

“Please tell me that wasn’t the only French you picked up,” Sally joked but then she sighed seeing  a tick in Gabriel’s jaw, showing his evident displeasure. “She pissed me off, Gabriel. And on top of that, is dangling something that might belong to my mother in my face. What can I do?”

The mercenary rubbed his forward in irritation. “I really hate your mother sometimes.” He glanced at his phone and tapped a few buttons. “Well, we got to plan something fast. And we can’t do it alone.”

“I’m not stupid enough to try to steal from Talon in a small group,” she added. “If they revoked any clearance you had...”

“Exactly.” Opening the room’s door, he exited towards the leisure room of the tour bus. The other three were playing cards to pass time. While Lúcio and D. Va were absorbed, Jack Morrison was very bored and he almost looked up in glee on seeing his former comrade very tense and agitated. “We have a situation. We need to capture a payload.”

“I’m in,” the soldier said immediately. “I’ll need some details. The W’s.”

“Talon, information and items pertaining to Salvation’s mother, according to the coordinates on a Hollywood stage, and apparently because Widowmaker is bored.”

The two gaming youths paused in their game at seeing Reaper quickly rattle off the intel without missing a beat. “This almost feels like a spy movie,” the Korean squealed.

“You don’t know half of it,” Lúcio laughed. “And it seems like you guys will need help.”

“You aren’t a soldier,” the white haired man tried to say but he was waved off.

“I might not be a frontliner but I have seen my way out of tight scrapes. Rio de Janeiro, remember? I have city fighting experience and besides, three of you doing something exciting? I’m in.”

“This could be good publicity for my stream...” D. Va began but she heard a shotgun being clicked ominously. “It’ll be a good time to take the MEKA out for a spin,” she laughed nervously as Reaper put away his weapon.

While he was concerned about being covert, he really did not give a damn if the other two youths died. He would feel bad about Sally’s reaction but he would not lose sleep over it himself. “So we have five people. I’ve done missions like this with smaller numbers but if we had a sixth, it would be easier.”

“Then you are in luck,” a clipped voice proclaimed. Sally squeaked in alarm as it came from behind her. Her electricity hissed dangerously as she reached for her gun while the other two soldiers reached for their weapons. Lúcio fumbled for his sonic amplifier while D. Va reached for her pistol. “Konnichiwa, Sally-san. Egao ga suteki desu. I will be your sixth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me for the slight cliffhanger


	11. Teamwork, Is It Overrated?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is roughly 1/5 of the current story length and was threatening to become even bigger so I split it :p

Reaper did not let much visibly bother him anymore. He would answer Lúcio's bubbly questions with ease, sometimes even in the youth's native language if he felt like it. He would retort to Jack Morrison's need to argue and banter. But he had a hard time stopping himself from smashing in Genji Shimada's chrome alloy skull with each smooth word of Japanese that escaped him. All of which he was certain were flirtations and compliments. His grip tightened on Sally as she was smiling back towards the ninja. "Gomen'nasai, Genji-san. Kare wa ryōdodesu."

The smooth pronunciation agitated the mercenary even further. While he definitely understood English and Spanish which allowed him some Portuguese, he had a passable grasp of French and German thanks to Overwatch and even picked up a few Arabic phrases. Japanese however had eluded him perpetually. "Eres tan patético, que resultas entrañable," he muttered lowly as he nuzzled into the medic's neck. The whole time she was on his lap during the impromptu party that started in Lúcio's suite, he had not let go and if anything only became more and more possessive.

"You're so warm," Sally hummed softly to the mercenary. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "It must be from not taking any souls. You must be becoming more..."

"Human?" Genji interjected. His words came out slightly bitter despite the tranquil words following. "Humanity is in the mind. You should know that as well, _Commander_."

"I haven't commanded you in ages and if anything, you were all too willing to go to him," Gabriel hissed as he nudged his head over to Jack Morrison. The white haired male was between Lúcio and Hana having a drinking contest despite his protests and had become an unwilling referee. "I am curious, _Shimada,_ " the mercenary ground out harshly. "Why come all the way to Hollywood? This is outside of Overwatch's normal stomping grounds and also, not like your Yakuza family had influence here."

From behind his helmet and faceplate, the ninja frowned. "Winston and Angela asked me to look into the situation with our former commander." He snickered slightly seeing the two youths attempt to force the older man to drink with them. "And I admit, seeing Sally-san alive is also rewarding. As for you..." He paused, unknowing how to continue without getting a shotgun shell to the face.

"Yes?" Reaper pressed before reaching for some tequila that had been sent up to the suite. "You were saying?"

"It's nice to see you're alive?" Genji cleared his throat slightly before bowing his head as if in apology. "This isn't my strong suit."

"Surprising as your brother is supposed to be the one not good with socializing with others," Gabriel finished with a dark smirk on his face. "Bravo," he began slow clapping before Sally groaned. Stopping the action, he nudged her neck with his nose. "What is it?" he murmured quietly into her skin.

"I never realized how you acted with the other Overwatch members," Sally mused softly as she tapped her fingers along the mercenary's arms, feeling along the muscles. "You like pushing buttons, don't you?"

"It's a great way to obtain information," he stated bluntly, despite knowing that Genji likely was rolling his eyes behind the faceplate. "Besides, I don't have to get along with anyone to do my job and be efficient."

"And that's why the role in the end was given to Commander Morrison," Genji chortled with amusement.

The words however caused the mercenary to stand suddenly, almost dumping off the medic like an unwanted cat before he caught her. "Say that again," he hissed as he stalked closely towards the Japanese ninja.

"Unsocial brutes with no charisma don't deserve a spot in leadership positions," Genji continued. "They conduct business behind the scenes, doing the dirty work so that those who truly represent our ideals are seen at the forefront. You are the antithesis of the ideal Overwatch commander."

Sally groaned as she saw Gabriel start to growl and twitch towards where she knew his guns where. "Kono yaru! Urusai," she hissed before turning over to Reaper. "Mi cielo," she murmured. The words had the immediate effect of causing him to focus his attention on her. "Ven aca." She reached for his hand and tugged him away from the Japanese ninja, who began snickering.

"Hanashijōzu da ne. Sayonara, Sally-san."

Behind her back, Reaper flipped off the man before resuming being pulled into the room they shared. He chose to ignore the whistles from D. Va and Lúcio before deciding to also flip off his former best friend. "Sally. What did he say?"

The medic rolled her eyes. "Genji is just being Genji. Said I have a way with words." She touched his face delicately before her eyes softened. "You really do look a lot better. It makes me feel happy."

"Why?" he muttered despite leaning into her hand.

"Why what?" she attempted to clarify before running her hand through his short hair. "Be more specific, my protector."

"Why do you speak so much Japanese with Genji?" he began before sighing. "Why are you so interested with me? Why do you even give a damn? What do I have?"

She blinked in confusion. "That's a fuck ton of whys, Gabriel. Well... I used to speak with Genji a fair amount back in Overwatch days. Who do you think had to put him together or talk him through his surgeries when Angela wasn't there? It also helped that I was a young adult who liked to watch anime and play games. Similar interests and all that. He changed though. Still a ridiculous flirt but more solemn. A bit more calculated."

"Dangerous you mean," he clarified as he went towards the minibar they had in their room.

"Well of course," she flopped on the bed. "Gabriel, anyone who suddenly decides they are not completely human is dangerous."

"So what are we?" he muttered coldly as he poured some liquor into a waiting glass.

"Dangerous." She reached for the glass that he offered to her and winced slightly at the taste. "We're human but we don't consider ourselves human."

"You are a human though. More so than me," he muttered as he quickly tilted his head back and downed the drink quickly.

"When you down this drink like that, sometimes I don't doubt it," she sighed as she sniffed the drink before giving it another taste. "At least when you're in that shadowy form, you kind of are organic. If I understood everything right, I'm not even a lifeform. That disturbs me."

"Stop worrying. We'll find out whatever is going on," he swore as he refilled his glass. "Tomorrow, we capture that payload and find whatever Widowmaker sent. Milk Talon of information."

"You realize this could squash any future involvement you could have with that organization," she warned gently.

"Sally, why would I want to associate with Talon?" he responded with confusion. "They were useful for a time. But now, I got other priorities."

"So even your friendship with Widowmaker..." she began but was silenced by a stream of laughter.

"You think we're actually friends? Dios mio. You're adorable." He began stroking her hair while she blinked in confusion. "No one is friends with Widowmaker. Even _I_ have more friends than that frigid bitch."

"So... just associates?" she inquired coolly. "What is your relationship with her?"

"There is nothing," the mercenary tried to assure the medic but her raised eyebrow still showed her skepticism.

"From seeing how she looked like before and after becoming Widowmaker, I find that hard to believe," she sniffed in disdain. "Very hard to believe. Two cold hearted killers in an organization working in close quarters with one another."

"I get the fucking point," Gabriel snapped slightly. He saw her jaw clench in irritation at his tone. "I have never approached her with any intent other than to complete a mission or get information. Never have never will approach her for anything _physical,_ " he said the word like it was something disgusting imaging the act with the French woman. "You forget. I worked with her husband," he reminded her. "I have little regard for someone who can so callously kill their loved one."

"You killed former comrades without batting an eyelash or feeling guilt," Sally accused him. "Granted, I understand your anger but did the underlings deserve or were even aware of why, Gabriel?"

"That is different," he hissed as he stalked up to her. She backed up against the wall and stared at him defiantly as he placed his arms on other side of her head in order to keep her focus on him. "You know that very well. And I stopped, didn't I? All for your sake. Be grateful."

"I suppose I should be that you're making an attempt to stay human," she sneered.

"Who has been trying to find out all about your mother for you and your mysterious past? Me. Who has been accompanying you through this crazy adventure which is likely just beginning? Me. Who protected you and will continue to? Me." He leaned his forehead against hers, causing her to look into his eyes. She noticed how much his eyes appeared to darken. "Aren't I yours? After all," he hissed as he began to nuzzle the side of her face. "You're mine," he whispered in her ear before nipping her earlobe.

"Obviamente," she sighed softly as she tilted her head to the side, allowing him access to her neck. "I will help you too, Gabriel. I will find out what's happening to you."

"Will you stop it?" he asked slowly as he nipped her neck. He paused with his teeth above her pulse. "Mi reina?"

"I will not stop caring about you," she reassured him. He nuzzled her neck slightly, causing her to shiver, especially when she felt his breath upon her neck. "I will save you from whatever Mercy inflicted upon you. And if all else fails..."

"If I'm cursed for eternity?" he asked quietly. "What then?"

"Then, I'll stand by your side," she promised. He looked at her eyes, as if searching for a lie. "I won't leave you alone."

"I don't deserve you," he said solemnly as he drew her in to kiss him. It was a hard kiss but still full of passion. He did not expect however for her gasp in surprise. As if testing the waters, he gently swiped his tongue across her lips and groaned at her taste when she parted her lips. He felt energized but the change made him surprised as he felt almost like he had absorbed a soul. Pulling away from her, he noticed her flushed in surprise and glaring at him for daring to stop the kiss. "We must be careful," he said as he ran his thumb over her lips.

"What?" she blinked in surprise. "What's wrong, Gabriel? I mean, it's not like I kissed loads of people or something but was it that bad?" _He had no issues before so what did I do wrong?!_

"Que?" he paused for a moment then shook his head. "No. It's not that."

"I don't know much else that causes someone to pull away during a kiss," she frowned slightly. He kissed the scrunch of her forehead between her brows. "You can't kiss your way out of this."

"You're adorable." She huffed. "I'm worried about draining you."

This caused an eyebrow to raise. "I think I'd notice if I was missing part of my soul."

He walked over to the mirror and carefully examined his face. "Look at me. I don't look as..."

"Pallor," she continued as she followed him. She carefully traced the veins and arteries in his neck with her fingers. "They still are a bit of a sharp black but you do look like you've got some skin tone back. You almost look like back then."

He flushed slightly, the look unusual with the still black veins standing out against his skin. "I dislike lies, woman."

"Always the truth seeker," she replied with a sad smile. "Let's go to sleep. We'll explore this phenomenon after securing the payload."

Gabriel remembered rolling his eyes at the medic but when he awoke the next day, he groaned as he realized he immediately fell asleep. _Odd. I'm actually starting to sleep more consistently._ Turning to Sally, he snickered slightly at seeing her curled up, holding a pillow since he had sat up out of reach. _She actually is sleeping too. It was a quiet night without a single nightmare from either of us._ Pushing himself off of the bed, he stalked over to the kitchen and was surprised to see a ruffled looking former commander sitting at the kitchen island, fiddling with an appliance. "Can't sleep?"

Soldier: 76 groaned as he held his head. "Damn kids and their damn loud music." He poured some coffee for his friend and slid over the mug. "Genji only encouraged their antics."

Snickering around his cup of coffee, he savored the sharp bitterness before speaking up. "Acting like such an old man, Jack."

"Gabe," he hissed low in alarm. "They shouldn't know that..."

"Oh please. If Lúcio hadn't figured it out yet, I gave the little frog too much credit. And D. Va is smarter than she looks. She made a hell of a connection between Talon and the Omnic crisis involving her country. She likely has listening devices."

To his surprise, instead of sounding angry, he sounded alarmed like he was caught with his pants down. "Shit." He stood up so quickly and burst out of the kitchen. "Fucking hell."

Reaper calmly sipped his coffee before tilting his head to the ceiling. "Care to elaborate what the fuck that was about?"

"I was a fly on the wall, merely minding my own business," the ninja murmured dramatically before going over to the stove. "At least he remembered to put some water for tea. Excellent," he hissed as he found a tea cup.

"It is too early to be enigmatic," Reaper quipped as he grimaced around his coffee. _Jack always was shit at making decent coffee._ "Speak plainly."

"The children enjoyed flustering him. And he enjoys it. Must remind him of Overwatch."

"Oh yes. A new generation to gape and enjoy the model hero," the mercenary hissed darkly as his grip tightened around his mug.

"But he doesn't lead anymore. Winston does."

Reaper had to put down the coffee and began to chortle. "I thought it was a joke. That monkey?"

"He's a gorilla," Genji corrected him. "And they've begun to recruit. Obviously I won't tell you much because I don't know that you won't communicate this information to Talon." A disgusted look on Gabriel's face was ignored at Genji continued. "But please pass onto Widowmaker to stop attempting to recruit my brother."

"..." He snickered slightly. "I would have loved to overhear that conversation."

"I've shown you pictures of my brother. If anything, the stick up his ass was very prominent," Genji chortled as he relaxed into a chair. "So, are you returning to Talon?"

"If I was, attacking the shipment would be counter productive," Reaper muttered. "People and companies tend to not want to do anything with you when you go against their ideals."

"I'm going to take a moment to bask in the irony of you saying that statement," Genji said solemnly. He breathed a sigh of relief when Reaper did not react, violently or otherwise. "So after you help Sally, what is next? Back to Talon with her in tow as a peace offering?"

"Only a monster would take her there considering what's she's been through because of them," he snarled venomously. "Imply I would do that again and I'll peel your armor off with a scythe."

"You forget, I wasn't here during the... _adventures_ you two had along with our former commander. I'm missing a few critical bits of information."

Reaper actually groaned into his coffee. "Explaining is a bit difficult but whatever. Interrupt and I stop."

When Genji nodded, the mercenary was filling him in on the situation while in another room, D. Va was staring at her laptop. Her fingers were tapping in interest on the headset she was wearing. At first her agent was opposed to her staying with Lúcio's group but eventually relented due to her persistence. To find out that Lúcio did not even run this motley crew was an adrenaline rush for the young Korean. No one apparently did. The loose goal ahead of them was intriguing and her eyes widened a few times on hearing the tidbits of information. Anytime she heard an unfamiliar name, it took a few online searches to resolve her confusion. "I'm partying up with the remains of Overwatch," she crowed quietly with excitement. "I'm going to join. This will give me that rush."

Turning her attention to another internet tab she had open, D. Va glanced through her recent streams. She was infinitely glad she had taken the time to upload a video explaining she would be out for a week due to attending a concert. She was not stupid enough to mention it was a Lúcio concert but she knew people would be ultra attentive nonetheless to any messages she posted or in general, any concert. She thought back to the kitchen for a moment and smirked. _But with escorts like these, only an idiot would try to accost me._

Her fingers practically flew across the laptop as she transcribed all the information that she was hearing. She even opened another tab and titled it as _Blackmail_. She was not foolish to dare say anything about the doctor with her protector looming around like a dark shadow or him himself but having the information on hand would not hurt.

She began sporting a wide grin however when she thought of the old man Soldier's face. _He however, would never raise a hand to an innocent. And I got the perfect way to get into Overwatch._

Tapping a few buttons on her headset, she set it to record and took it off as she walked towards the kitchen. She noted the conversation was winding down to a few jabs between the mercenary and the soldier that had joined them a few minutes prior. "I don't want to interrupt," she said softly as she knocked on the door frame.

Genji laughed and waved her over. "Join us, Hana-chan. It is only the bickering of two old men you are interrupting." Sure enough, Soldier: 76 had come back to the kitchen to add his two cents in about the story Reaper was telling. "Granted it shall never stop or it would be a sure sign of the apocalypse."

Both the former commanders had differing reactions to Genji's words. While Soldier: 76 just shook his head, Reaper rolled his eyes. "Nice of you to join us, young lady," the white haired man smiled. "Sleep well?"

"Yes I did. Thanks for asking, Dad." The nickname made the dark mooded mercenary and cyborg ninja snicker while Soldier: 76 groaned. "The others still asleep?"

"Sally seemed at peace so I left her that way," Reaper commented lightly. "She rarely sleeps well due to her electricity condition so..."

"That's nice of you," D. Va teased him, sticking out her tongue. The mercenary chose to ignore the childish gesture. "So you didn't tire her out?"

Soldier: 76 almost choked on his caffeinated beverage at her word choice. "You don't have to be so vulgar, young lady."

She rolled her eyes. "I wasn't being vulgar. I was merely insinuating..." she smirked now. "Those two obviously have something going on. It's written all over his face."

Reaper stared blankly at the professional gamer. "Keep up the sass and I'll break your hands."

"No! These are my money makers!" she gasped dramatically before looking towards the other former commander. "You'd protect me, right Dad?"

His response was to pour himself some coffee and quickly take a drink. "At this rate, I'll end up dumping some liquor in here too." He lifted the mug high enough to avoid the patented pout. "I fight enough with him without something else causing it."

"What's with the frown, Hana?" Lúcio chirped as he practically burst into the room. Joy and energy seemed to flow through the room at his entrance. "The old men bringing you down?"

"I resent that," Reaper and Soldier: 76 both grunted around their coffee cups.

Genji however, laughed with amusement. "Maybe it is because we are missing the buffer?"

A tired yawn caught their attention. "What did I hear about a buffer?" Sally greeted the group with a nod as she sank into the chair next to Gabriel. He passed her some toast that she popped into her mouth with a happy hum before softly stroking his arm affectionately. "What's up?"

"Waiting for you lot to finish waking so that we can decide how to proceed with the mission," Soldier: 76 said gruffly. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a set of blueprints that he tried to spread on the kitchen suite table.

"Really? On the breakfast table?" Reaper sighed as he tried to save a plate of toast from being touched by the paper.

"Some things never change," Genji agreed as he quickly moved a teapot to safety. "What is the plan?"

He noted that everyone, even the broody and at times jealous Gabriel Reyes, was paying full attention and waiting. "What helped is that last night, Genji did a series of things to convince the workers something is amiss. As such, between his actions and Talon trying to secure the payload, we will encounter minimal innocents and bystanders."

"You won't hurt them, right?" Lúcio asked sharply with a frown. "It's not their fault for being there."

"Sometimes, people are just in the way. The mission itself is still of utmost importance over people who don't matter," Reaper muttered bluntly, getting a full glare from almost everyone at the table and Sally even started massaging her forehead as if she got a headache.

"We need to work on rehabilitating those social skills," she muttered quietly, receiving a snicker from Genji and Soldier: 76.

"This is actually accurate," his former best friend admitted. "Actually displaying more emotions too."

"I always had emotions, asshole. Don't make me out to be completely cold hearted," the mercenary sneered in irritation.

"Anger, resentment, jealousy, and then rounding it off with an uncaring attitude is one hell of a cocktail."

"I'm sorry that I wasn't what everyone wanted in the organization but the stuff I did to keep Overwatch pristine as long as it was would make you wet yourself," Reaper hissed darkly. "You don't realize half the shit I did for them. For you, my friend."

"Things just didn't work out the way we wanted," Soldier: 76 sighed.

"Obviously."

"Moving on?" Sally cleared her throat, uncomfortable with the brewing argument.

"Anyways. Few people in the way. Try not to kill anyone," he gave a look to both the mercenary and ninja.

"I make no promises for Talon," Genji said firmly. "They would hurt the innocent."

"I admit I'm kind of pissed at them myself," Sally added. "But I don't think I could kill someone."

"You did before," Reaper said. "Sally, this is your life in danger and your past is the reason."

"Like I can control my past," she scoffed. "I never asked for this."

"And I never asked for this," he said as he let his hand dissipate before allowing it to fully form again.

"I realize that. I'm going to help you with it."

"And you can't put a bandaid on every issue in the world. Lúcio didn't save everyone from Vishkar." The DJ winced at the brutal assessment. "D. Va probably trampled an innocent fleeing from an Omnic with her MEKA." The Korean looked guiltily down at the table. "The Shimada over there let his brother believe he was dead for years and killed off his family. And the Soldier over there," he hissed as he looked over the white haired male. "Biggest asshole of a best friend someone could ask for."

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have the friendliest kid on the playground," Soldier: 76 chuckled before turning serious. "Sally, you are going to stick near Lúcio. Both of you have some capability to help on the battlefield with supporting us and it should stay that way. Hana, you and the MEKA will be upfront, causing a distraction and drawing attention. I'll be a bit behind you to pick off any foes."

"Got ya, Dad."

"Reaper and Genji will flank and take out those from around and behind. You two know the drill." Genji nodded while Gabriel smirked.

"I got a few tricks up my sleeve," he assured the team before reaching over to squeeze Sally's hand. "You okay?"

"I'll manage. Let's just get this over with."

"Then we celebrate," D. Va chirped. "We got Lúcio's concert but we need to have a party." She pointed at the team. "Drinking games."

"What's the drinking age in Korea?" Morrison asked Genji who merely tilted his head.

"How would I know that? I'm Japanese."

Reaper however shrugged. "If she's old enough to pilot a MEKA into combat, she's old enough to drink."

Sally smiled softly. "I'm up for a party if we make it through this."

"Look at this team," Lúcio proclaimed dramatically. "We're going to do great!"

Everyone chuckled at that and it was with that upbeat atmosphere that brought them to the start of the warehouse. It was relatively easy to get a trailer and drive it up the movie set. The few security guards around did not question anything as they allowed them to pass. The task was only made easier when D. Va revealed she still had a set pass from when she starred in Hero of my Storm. "Thanks for driving it, Dad. I didn't want to risk being recognized."

"Too many fucking celebrities as is," Reaper grumbled from the back. Sally huffed slightly at his words while Lúcio chuckled.

"I guess in our own way... All of us are famous."

"Speak for yourself kid. I'm just a soldier," the white haired male grunted in annoyance as he parked the trailer.

"I know better than that, _Jack,_ " the Brazilian whispered as he waltzed away towards the door of the trailer. "Everyone ready for a speed boost?" he asked excitedly, ignoring how Jack Morrison paled even further.

"Sir?" Sally inquired, confused by the look of panic on the older man's face. "What is..."

"Get your weapon ready, Salvation," he barked at her before storming off. "D. Va, stop goofing around. This isn't a fucking AR game or an Omnic in the middle of nowhere."

The medic blinked as she watched him pass by Reaper without hissing a single argument. "Why no criticisms for you?"

"He knows that I know what to do," he shrugged. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will. I promise," she murmured softly as she squeezed his arm.

"I want to talk about us afterwards," he continued as they walked towards the door. "If you are willing..." He paused slightly, almost hesitating completely before continuing. "¿Quisieras salir conmigo?"

She gasped slightly and felt a weight lift off her shoulders. "Yes."

He gave her a slight peck as he motioned towards the door. "Let's go, mi reina."

"Cada diํa te quiero mas," she smiled as she felt electricity spark through her body. Surging it into her muscles, she dashed after Lúcio.

A camera off to the side had its lens adjust slightly, sending the picture over to Widowmaker. The sniper practically squealed as her entertainment revealed itself. She smiled as she looked over a journal entry that she had almost cracked. _Just a few more keystrokes and..._

When the screen went blank, the French woman blinked owlishly before across the screen, a simple sentence formed. "Mach es dir selber."

Carefully putting the words into an internet search engine, upon reading the result, her cheeks flushed in anger. "Ce sont des conneries." Her fingers flew across the computer as she rebooted it. "You won't best me, Brigitte Jones."

So occupied she was with the computer that she did not notice the video feed she was watching earlier start to loop. Because of that, she missed when a mook decided to try to flank the two supporting wannabe heroes. Sally had squeaked in alarm when her body instinctively let loose electricity, stunning the thug. Lúcio had immediately turned around when he sensed her alarm and blasted back the man with his weapon. A few shots from Sally's Desert Eagle ended the unfortunate soul. "You okay?" the DJ inquired.

"Just surprised. I need to pay more attention," she scowled as she massaged her head. _Damn it. I'm better than this. Focus, Sally. Thinking about Gabriel can wait. Worrying about your past can wait. Just... attack the fucking payload._ She glanced at Lúcio to see that he was giving her a worried look. "I'm ready,"

"Alright then," he beamed as he fiddled with his weapon. An energetic beat started pumping out. "Let's go!"

Reaper jerked slightly as he felt energized by the melody. _That would have been useful back then..._ He easily knocked out a fool playing solitaire in front of the security monitors. _A civilian. Poor bastard is in the wrong place._ He effortlessly lifted the man and locked him into a closet. _He'll be safe this way._

He walked away, ignoring the dark pull within him to turn around and blast the man's head open with his shotguns. _You could so easily consume him. You need sustenance, do you not? Or you want to be a meek mortal, requiring food and rest? Such weakness. Such morality. Mercy's mistake was the greatest gift and defining moment of your life and you'd prefer to piss it away playing human pet to Morrison's former pet._

Reaper tightened his grasp on his shotguns and willed himself away. _I don't need this shit._ He shot a Talon agent and cautiously backed up, curious to see what would happen. _If I'm going to kill, it doesn't have to be some random son of a bitch._ The soul floated happily towards him and he reached out towards it. _Hopefully she won't be too pissed off._ He watched it slink past his hand, into the flesh of his arm and hissed slightly as it wriggled into his body. He felt a slight burst of energy but he did not notice any immediate effects. _Interesting._

_You finally have a real soul for the first time in roughly a week and that's your reaction? You really did become such a soft minded fool. The world was your oyster and you settle for morality._ Reaper shook his head in annoyance and rubbed at his forehead. _You won't pull her into the darkness within you... We'll extinguish her instead then. Her delicious soul will surely fuel a powerful Death Blossom._ He started to clench his fist so tightly that he could feel the claws of the glove dig through the sturdy material, into his flesh. He could smell the highly metallic smell of his blood hit his nose but it only fueled the words even further. _Or is it the blood? Do you want to see your woman bathed in blood? Her own or her enemies? Your enemies? You'd like that, wouldn't you?_

He saw a reflective glass and threw it when he imagined what his face would look like under his distinctive mask. "I have... a name and it isn't always Reaper," he muttered quietly to himself. _I need a fucking drink._ He went around the corner and without pausing, immediately kicked the security guard in the gut before realizing it was a Talon member. He swiftly reached for his gun when the mook squawked.

"Why would you betray us, Reaper?" the man protested.

"You knew the risks of staying in Talon," the mercenary shrugged but did not let his finger wander away from the trigger.

"So, you're with Overwatch again?" he accused and in irritation, Reaper shot the man in his knee. The cries of pain flew immediately. "Just kill me then," he hissed in irritation as Reaper sat in front of him. His guns carefully resting on his knees, ready to be used.

"Tell me what I want to know about this operation," he hissed threateningly.

"You don't give a damn about us. Well guess what, traitor, the feeling is mutual!" the man grunted through the pain. "Ever since you left to tail after that electric freak, no one looks after us. Not all of us are as powerful as demigods but still, we weren't always treated like trash. But guess what? That woman of yours is nothing but an inhuman abomination!"

Reaper felt his temper rise but controlled it tightly as he raised his other shotgun to shoot the uninjured knee. He ignored the screams and ground his heel in the wound. "Insult my woman again. I fucking dare you."

He paused when he heard the clicking of metal. Genji hissed slightly when he saw the injury but he could tell from Reaper's slightly tense posture that he was intensely agitated. "Reaper-san," he began carefully. "I've patrolled around and so far, threats neutralized. Going to check on our supports then back up the front line."

"Understood." He paused to look at the man know borderline weeping. "After you finish up, at least wash the blood off. Salvation will be able to pick up the smell of blood and worry."

"Salvation?" the Talon thug whimpered in worry as his eyes grew wide. "You have to be..."

"Yes. The woman you insulted is _the_ _dangerous abomination,_ Salvation." He was smirking behind his mask. "She probably would be more threatening to me if she actually could remember all her training."

"Insulted?" Genji interrupted coldly. "This aomidoro dares?" He drew his katana, not knowing the maniac grin Reaper wore behind his mask. "Perhaps, I could assist in the interrogation?"

"Be my guest," the mercenary waved over welcomingly. He ignored the way the thug paled even further. "Be swift. I wouldn't want him to defecate and make a bigger mess."

"I won't bring dishonor upon us, _Commander,_ " the ninja promised as part of his body began to glow green. He paused to tap his ear. "Reaper-san and I are taking care of something. Be cautious."

"Roger that," Soldier: 76 responded to the Shimada as he surveyed the area in front of himself and the Korean video gamer. "Hana. Careful around the corner."

"I'm not a newbie to combat, Dad." She chuckled though as she set her shield up as she went around nonetheless. There was a person lurking but a simple physical strike from the MEKA knocked out the man. "D. Va 1. Bad guys 0."

"Pay attention," Soldier: 76 chided slightly as he shot a sniper who was starting to aim at the cockpit of the mech. "Let's go. We'll regroup with Genji and Reaper near the objective. Lúcio? Sally? What is your status?"

"Going through buildings on the side," Sally reported quickly. "Luckily, run into minimal resistance. All at the objective, maybe?"

"Why are you going through buildings?" the old former commander roared. "You two aren't close combat fighters! Navigating out in the open gives you a higher chance at survival!"

"But we haven't found anything useful when we were," Lúcio groaned. "We want to help too. Just because we're more of a supporting role on the battlefield..."

"And you two are useless if dead," Soldier: 76 muttered harshly, causing D. Va to gasp in surprise. "Look... Just be careful you two. Meet at the objective. Reaper? Genji? Can one of you find them and watch over?"

"I'm closer," Genji said after a pause. "So far, little resistance but some information has been obtained."

"Hope you realize that means they'll all be waiting. That bitch. If she set a trap for us..." Reaper seethed over the communications relay. "I'll snap her neck."

"If she set a trap, I'm killing her myself," Sally sharply remarked. "Found a computer. Going to see what I find."

The former commander groaned. "Sally, chances are that it is merely about the set information or whatever Hollywood people do."

"It kind of had some Talon dude using it until she... roasted him," Lúcio spoke quietly. He had bit his lip as he saw the doctor push aside the smoking corpse from the chair and type swiftly across the interface. "What are you hoping to find?"

"Anything related to Talon. Even if it isn't connected to my past or what was sent here, anything is of use," she murmured as she rapidly began opening files and skimming them." She noticed the DJ's uncharacteristic silence. "Lúcio? What's wrong?"

"You killed him so easily," he said softly. "Like this one was just spinning in his chair, texting or playing a game on his phone. And you just..." he winced as he looked at the charred body. "I thought you were a pacifist."

She sighed and paused in her perusal of the computer's files. "Lúcio, the electricity in my body does more than just let me emit the power. It makes my mind act faster. I decide things faster. Any decision I take I've likely thought out a few dozen times and planned before actually doing. This..." she paused as she looked at the body. "Was one of them."

"It just seems a bit... excessive."

She flinched slightly. "Until I get those memories or train more... Mentally trying to theorize how to use my powers is different than actually doing it. I'm prone to what Reaper refers to as overkill when it comes to using them."

"Hmm..." he let the subject drop as she turned her attention back to the computer. "So... Salvation and Reaper?"

"What of it?" she asked, thankful, he stopped asking her about the body.

"He seems very... protective of you."

She smiled slightly. "I'd hope so. He did ask me to be his girlfriend officially."

Lúcio beamed happily. "That's good! Maybe it'll take some of his gloom away."

"It is a part of who he is," she mused slightly. "I wouldn't change him though. I want to help him but changing him changes who he is."

"Would you have preferred the Gabriel Reyes of the past?" the Brazilian asked shrewdly.

The typing stilled as he confirmed one of her theories. "No. He would not have liked the person I was back then either. I was arrogant. Blind." She looked down slightly. "Judgemental."

"You act like you're broken but you aren't. You just... grew," Lúcio said quietly. "I grew up in a chaotic world so I grew fast. Even in Overwatch, you were protected, weren't you?"

"Medwatch," she admitted. "Rarely left headquarters. Barely finished military training before being sent there so I never fought tooth-and-nail, like you have."

The musician however smiled. "We're different but we still got our style."

This drew a laugh from the grim medic. "I got all the information. Let's go, chatterbox."

"It could be a worse nickname," he admitted with a smirk. "Age before beauty," he joked as he bowed to her.

She merely rolled her eyes before striding through the door and shooting a lightning bolt out the door. They both heard a loud thump as a body collided with the wall on the far side. "Oh look. I'll be the second one leaving the room. So what are you then, cheeky?" she chuckled as she walked over to the unconscious thug to examine him.

"You got me there," Lúcio admitted with a smile as he touched his ear. "Status?"

"Reaper is finishing up with an interrogation," Genji reported. "I'm near your location."

"Hana and I are encountering little resistance," Soldier: 76 reported. "What is..."

"Oh crap," Sally blurted out over the communications line. "We got ourselves a situation."

Lúcio walked over to her, seeing her examine the criminal's smart phone and tilted his head in confusion. "I can't read that," he admitted. "What language is that?"

"German," she said as she kept scrolling through it. "Mein Gott..."

"Sally-san?" Genji spoke before pausing. "I'm a minute away. Please, calm down." Sure enough, he burst into the room where she was continuously scrolling through the phone. "Genki desu ka?"

"Toki doki," she said softly as she shut off the phone. She reached for the communications piece in her ear. "They have a Doomfist," she said solemnly.

The line was silent for a few moments before Reaper finally spoke up. "I must have heard incorrectly. Did you just say Doomfist?"

"You better not try to steal this one," Soldier: 76 swore loudly. "Any other information?"

"Mostly random miscellaneous orders but they did not want anyone to disturb the Doomfist. Thing is... It's not the Successor or the Scourge. That doesn't..."

"A false Doomfist?" Genji suggested. "We know Talon isn't above manipulating people for their selfish reasons. Or..." he paused slightly. "Twisting people to achieve their ends."

"We need to group up here," Soldier: 76 said quietly. "If there is a Doomfist here..." He sighed then continued. "Come on."

Genji helped Sally up and she shivered as she thought on it. "I've treated the wounds before from when the first Doomfist had accidentally used too much strength. It can be very brutal in the right hands."

"I think I've seen pamphlets on this weapon. Or at least the two Doomfists," Lúcio murmured thoughtfully. "Sally, was it a Doomfist as in another user or just the glove?"

She noticed the DJ playing with his own gloves that helped him control his sonic weapon. "The wording was very vague. One of Talon's problems or rather, strengths at times, is that they refer to certain people as weapons or assets. So it makes placing what this Doomfist is difficult. For example, due to her now emotionless nature, chances are they would place Widowmaker as a weapon." _And me as well._

"You don't look so hot," Lúcio worried as he fiddled with his weapon to switch it to a healing beat. "Do you need a few minutes as a breather?"

"We have to move," Genji urged. "If you are unable, I can carry you."

"I'm not a princess that constantly needs protecting," she scowled in annoyance as she waved the two off. "Let's go. If they won't call this off because of Doomfist, we need to hurry. I don't want anything bad to happen."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Lúcio chirped, causing Genji to sigh.

It started off with chaos. The three were suddenly chased by agents but these were not carrying guns where at least the two former Overwatch agents could deflect the bullets but instead, energy beams. "I can't deflect energy," Genji commented bluntly as he sheathed his sword. "It's just pure energy with no outright projectile. So..."

"It's not electricity based... Actually, I'm scared to try to mix the powers together," Sally commented as they began running through the building's hallways quickly. Lúcio's speed boost was pumping at maximum volume. To try to make them not be chased, Genji threw many shuriken but it only would work for a few moments before the thugs resumed the chase. "I hope they don't explode," she sighed as she snapped her fingers, letting off a few sparks past her and Genji. "Ki o tsukeru," she warned as she saw the electricity create a barrier.

"Careful about..." Genji spoke up before a loud rumble cut off the rest of his words. "Chikuso! Sally-san! Ii kagen ni shiro!"

"I guess it does explode," Lúcio murmured with a sweatdrop as he watched the two former agents bicker in Japanese. "We're going to run out of hallway to run in!" he warned the two as they came up to a dead end."

"Move over," Sally said as she let electricity strengthen her legs and arms. She grabbed one of the desks in the hallway and flung it out the hallway window, causing the glass to shatter. "Let's go!"

Gulping, Lúcio charged out and landed more or less safely because of his legs. Sally dove out and spun a few times. The Brazilian was about to yelp until he saw electricity build up around her. She landed on the ground, her legs shook slightly as she ended up squatting but she stood up fine as the electricity discharged harmlessly into the ground. Behind them, Genji jumped mid-air and rolled to a stop next to them. "Everyone okay?"

"Let's go," Genji muttered, not ready to joke around. "We don't want them to catch up with us."

"Agreed," Sally murmured as she threw a lightning bolt towards the building. It exploded slightly and she breathed a sigh of relief. "We need to regroup."

"I hear D. Va's mech over there," Lúcio called out happily.

"Hopefully everyone is there," Sally grunted as she felt her fingers tingling from all the electricity she let out.

"Hoping to see everyone's favorite, gothic mercenary?" Genji teased with a smirk behind his faceplate.

"Fuzakenaide kudasai. Stop teasing me, Genji-san!"

Reaper however was watching the scene with interest from a nearby building. He crossed his arms slightly and teleported to the now partially destroyed one. Walking in, he nodded with approval as he took in the destruction. _So this is what her electricity can truly do..._ He found a charred body, burnt almost to a crisp by the explosion. After nudging it slightly with his foot, he saw the droplets of a soul extract itself from the corpse to respond to the unnatural call of Reaper's body. He did not even fight it as the orbs floated along to him. Instead, he proceeded on. Every so often, he would note a few of the ninja stars Genji used embedded along the walls and floor. The powerful throws of the cyborg had embedded the projectile deep and Reaper was certain this would have killed just as instantly as a bullet. What he did not expect was to see an alive thug, staring at the mercenary. He was carrying something similar to a particle cannon. _That weapon looks Russian._ "So someone did survive," Reaper intoned as he approached the mysterious person. "Looks like I'll need to change that."

"Sombra will be displeased," the thug muttered. His words made Reaper pause slightly. "Oh yes. Sombra is not happy you have been allowed to cut loose from Talon. Just think of it. Your insubordination is tolerated right now but continue with this insanity and even she will not be able to protect you."

"I don't need Talon and I'm no fucking subordinate," Reaper hissed darkly. His hands twitched for his shotguns. "Give me a reason I shouldn't blast your face off."

"Because you're apparently going to rejoin Overwatch at the rate you're going."

The words made the mercenary stop dead in his tracks. His head twitched as he turned his neck slowly to stare the thug down. "Care to repeat that?"

"Running back to them like the coward you are," the taunt flew. Reaper snarled as he rushed forward with his guns at the ready. The grunt however was ready and projected an energy shield around himself. Reaper however did not fire and instead, was avoiding the energy beam being projected towards him as he advanced closer. "Just die already!"

"Better fighters than you have tried and failed," he chuckled as he held a shotgun at the man's temple. "Now die."

Knowing he was at the end of his rope as the energy field faded with time, the grunt sighed. "Well, at least I'm not a complete monster." A shotgun shell to the skull ended the words and Reaper walked away from the body quickly, lest the soul attempt to follow him.

"I don't even want to feast on your energy. It is just that pathetic," he hissed as he turned around. He noted however that the body stayed intact and in fact, he not destroy itself to create the floating soul orbs he grew accustomed to seeing. _Unusual. Maybe after going without them for a bit, I can pick and choose if I want one or not?_

Stepping towards the ruined window, he Shadow Stepped to the roof of a nearby building. Going by ear, he could tell where a lot of fighting was taking place. Keeping low to the roof to avoid detection, he quickly scampered across the building like a shadow cast on the structure. He was so careful with his movements that not even his clawed gauntlets made a sound as he leapt to the next roof. Shadow stepping when he did not have to took unnecessary energy and was pointlessly flashy; something Gabriel Reyes always hated. It also contributed as to why sometimes he was at odds with Jack Morrison as the man had a knack to draw the flashiest possible reaction out of any situation. Sure enough, he noticed the man looking flustered even as he launched a helix rocket shot towards a group of thugs. "Get that defense matrix up!" he yelled towards the young Korean.

"It's almost out of power," she protested with annoyance. "I need to let it charge."

"Well, my visor is still analyzing our foes. I can't get an exact lock-on yet." The gruff former commander barely dodged a bullet that Sally managed to curve slightly thanks to electricity. "Thanks. Heal up," he muttered as he set up a biotic field for Lúcio.

The Brazilian was huffing slightly. "I'm exhausted. I can only set up a speed boost and healing aura so much at once. And there are so many turrets!"

"Too many," Sally muttered as she flattened herself around a corner to look at the structure and sure enough, after she pulled her head back, a flurry of bullets followed. "Fuck. I can try to see if I can fling some lightning at it..."

"My shield is back up," D. Va interrupted. "Pops, behind me." The older man huffed slightly but said nothing else as he began to shoot the turrets. "Hurry!"

"Got it," he proclaimed after a few seconds. He wiped his brow before motioning to Genji. "The design looked familiar. Can you check it over, Genji?"

"Understood." The ninja jumped in the air then burst forward with an impressive bout of speed. "Commander. This looks similar to the turret that Torbjörn would contract. It seems to be lacking a Molten Core module but..."

"Wait, what?" Soldier: 76 spoke up, startled. "He never would help Talon. Perhaps, a rival of his?"

"You never thought Reaper would help Talon either," Genji muttered under his breath, none too quietly. Sally bit her lip and looked sad while the gruff former commander looked outright guilty. "So, Overwatch technology being leaked to Talon is no recent news. What will we do about it?"

Soldier: 76 was about to answer when he noticed Sally trying to approach the area where the turret was perched. "What do you think you're doing?"

The medic rolled her eyes. "Was going to try to examine it. See if in the components if I can find a computer or something inside."

"No need, Sally-san. He burst it with Helix Rockets," Genji assessed as he leapt downwards. "We should move on."

"To your deaths," an almost robotic voice said with annoyance. It looked like a giant man, encased in an armor, similar to Genji's. The color scheme however was more heavily slanted towards stark white and cyan blue. He waved his hands and little turrets appeared that he attached to the nearby walls with another wave. "The world can do without the chaos of Overwatch."

"It could..." Reaper murmured quietly to himself as he sat on a nearby roof, watching the battle unfold anew in front of him. It did not miss his eyes how Jack's body almost wanted to jerk in protest at being flung into conflict again but with practiced ease, he shrugged off the fatigue. Genji did not suffer the same physical limitations and instead, drew his katana carefully. The other three however, not used to such a conflict, stood at the ready. In D. Va's case though, she cracked her knuckles within her MEKA. "What will you do without me?" the mercenary wondered as he watched the Korean make the first move.

She had engaged the mech's thrusters and attempted to charge the mysterious foe and his turrets that he kept creating. To her displeasure however, her defensive matrix could do nothing against the attack. "Hey Dad! Getting rid of this guy's spam turrets would be appreciated!" she wailed as she quickly swung around the mech and tried to engage the guns to at least retaliate.

"Trying," the gruff soldier muttered as he tried but it seems some turrets had the duty of projecting shields while the others attacked with a beam. "Damn hard light," he muttered as he had to fire a helix rocket to take out a few.

Genji however was not in a mood to mess around as he let his body glow with a green light. The grip on his katana became more sure as he drew it before him. "Ryūjin no ken wo kurae!"

No matter how annoyed Reaper was with the Japanese ninja, he could not deny the usefulness of the man's draconic magic as he immediately leapt in and began slicing the turrets apart with ease. "Hurry and engage the enemy!"

Seeing the foe try to advance on Genji, Lúcio quickly skated towards him and pushed him back with his sonic weapon. This did nothing but irritate the enemy who swiped towards Lúcio with a long, whip like tendril that shot laser beams out of it. Eyes wide, he quickly activated his sound barrier. "Crap! Uh, guys?"

"Leave him alone!" Sally screeched as she jumped onto the tentacle with a foolhardiness that made Reaper groan from his vantage point.

_Really woman? With your little combat experience, that is the course of action you decide on?_

She held on tightly and let the electricity in her body pump into the appendage. The sparks flew from her body in surges. She gasped slightly at the effort and glanced towards Lúcio. "Hurry, get back!" The tentacle however was not affected by the electricity. Instead, the metallic plates slide slightly, letting out puffs of air. "Oh shit!" she yelped as she was immediately slammed into a nearby building. Thankfully, Lúcio's sound barrier was still up, cushioning what could have been a fatal blow.

Reaper had already begun Shadow Stepping the minute he saw that she was being flung. He stared down from above the foe, hatred etched into his gaze. As if aware, the thing looked up and smiled a robotic smile. _That's it. This fucker has got to die._ Descending downwards, Reaper was aware of his shotguns practically singing in his hands as he did the deadly rotations. Carefully avoiding beams specifically designed to hone in on foes, he easily took out first the shielding turret before easily aiming for the offensive ones. After throwing down the empty shotguns, he reached back into his coat and was rewarded with a pair of fresh, ready to go shotguns that were exactly identical. He approached the creature and drew his clawed glove towards his throat, spelling out plainly what he intended to do.

"And now, the Talon turncoat. Betraying Overwatch wasn't enough, was it?" the robotic voice chuckled in amusement. "All you have to do is bring Salvation back... and Sombra will forgive."

"I don't care what Sombra wants," Reaper hissed darkly. "Talon will pay for what it has done."

"Will it?" the machine said before pulling out what looked like a grenade launcher. The team cursed collectively as it was aimed at the still unconscious medic who was being tended by Lúcio. "Talon always will snatch victory."

The shell soared towards the two supporting fighters and Reaper soared towards it so fast, he felt like a phantom. Materializing in front of the shell, he pushed away Lúcio and crossed his shotguns while he braced for impact. What he did not expect was the projectile shell crumpling and releasing a gas immediately. He began to violently cough and grasp towards his throat. He glanced towards Sally and saw that she was twitching slightly from the gas. "Steer that damn MEKA here," he rasped over the communications line, unable to speak too loudly. "I can't breathe very well..."

The Korean did not hesitate as she drove around them, pulling the gas away. In case, she had closed the air vents of the mech but frowned. "Is it gone?" she asked as she took a defensive position in front of the two.

The former Blackwatch commander felt his eyes shut for a few moments as he tried to control his body. He felt the nanomachines that practically lived inside his body working into overtime to eliminate the gas and the effect was painful. A pounding had begun in his head and it was clouding his control. "Should be..." He weakly stood, leaning on the mech. "Lúcio? You okay?"

"Thanks for saving me," the Brazilian nodded his head as he practically dashed back to the still unconscious medic. "What was that stuff?"

"Doesn't seem like any gas I encountered in the military."

"Even in Blackwatch's files?" Soldier: 76 muttered in disbelief.

"Not even." Morrison showed worry as his friend did not even seem to have the breath to even banter with him or express annoyance. Instead, it seemed to be just a blanket amount of anger. "Well, we got to take him out?"

"Close combat appears out of the question," Genji muttered as he coughed a couple times. When Lúcio was about to dash to him out of worry, he waved him off. "I didn't get a full blast, like those two. Don't worry about me." He nudged his head towards the blue and white abomination before them. "We need to take care of that. A little coughing is the least of our worries."

"It's a Vishkar design," Lúcio said as he carefully surveyed the foe. He was so worried about trying to heal everyone that he did not give it a good look but now that he did, he felt anger surge through his body. "It explains the turrets. I've seen a woman create turrets like those. She was an agent of Vishkar. So... It is true. Vishkar and Talon are working together..."

"Well, Vishkar is known for hard light..." D. Va muttered as she began to unbuckle herself from the mech. "So we need to do something that can bust through that armor." She started engaging the thrusters on her MEKA before ejecting herself out. "Nerf this!"

Seeing the ominous glow of the mech, the team took cover in a nearby building but for the giant machine, it had no way to move out of the way. The explosion blew out all the windows in the nearby building. The commander within Jack Morrison cursed. "Hana, a little warning would be nice! We need to step it up. No matter how lax the security around here is, someone is bound to have heard that."

"Knowing Hollywood, we got fifteen minutes, tops," Reaper muttered as he looked over the medic still unconscious in his arms. The sound did not even case her to stir. "We need to act fast."

"Agreed," Genji said and he quickly reached for some shuriken. "Let's go."

Soldier: 76 dashed after Genji, his rifle feeling light due to adrenaline. "Move out!"

D. Va pulled Lúcio to his feet, pushing him towards the door. "I'll stay with her. It'll take too long to call a new MEKA down. They need you out there."

The DJ was about to protest until Reaper rose, knuckles cracking. "Vamos. No one touches her," he said darkly as he reached for his shotguns. He glanced slightly towards D. Va and nodded towards Sally. "She has a gun in her coat. It will pack more of a punch than the little pistol you're carrying."

"Thanks," she said as she found the Desert Eagle. She winced slightly at the weight of the gun but knew she would be able to at least use and fire it.

By the time Reaper walked back into the fray, he quickly engaged the enemy. Trying to shoot at its head with his shotguns seemed to annoy him but he noticed the hard light structure start to repair itself quickly. Even cuts from Genji's blade and Jack's helix rockets seemed to even have the damage disappear. "We need to damage it faster," he roared as he avoided a heavily damaged tentacle soaring towards him

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Soldier: 76 roared as he rolled out of the way. "How many years of military experience did it take to come to that assessment?"

"Just shut up," Gabriel cursed as he felt himself ready to try another Death Blossom. His body still felt fatigued but he knew that if they did not do something, they were screwed. But yet, he felt himself hesitating.

_Your woman is likely on her way to Death's door. Ironic isn't it? Death walks among you. She is going to be gone. Just accept it. Let this creature take out the rest of the fools and just slink off. Or if you really are attached to the foolish girl, just take her with you. Maybe she'll be thankful and you could use a little attentive thanking,_ the dark voice inside Gabriel's head spoke. _She isn't suited to this lifestyle that you dragged her into. Think of it this way. Maybe you wanted her to die. Wanted to see the blood on her body, painting it like a canvas. Maybe... just maybe..._

Gabriel shut the voice off in his head as he looked at the battle again. Jack Morrison was wrapped up by the tentacle, his rifle flung away from him. Genji was pinned to the wall by the sheer mass of the creature and was trying to hack at it with his sword. The vents on his body showcased how he had tried to use his dragon which only seemed to agitate his foe. Lúcio was in a full on panic as he had used his Sound Barrier and was trying to pry the tentacle off of Soldier: 76. Reaper realized he was fighting on autopilot. In fact, he had made it in front of the creature when he decided. "Die! Die! DIE!" he roared as he began his rotations.

He had debated letting the bullets take out his former friend permanently. He debated leaving the ninja to his fate but then he remembered Sally's happy face. She would be sad, disappointed even. And inside himself, he would miss them. He would miss two of his friends that he could have saved. The bullets sprayed from his guns in such a planned manner, it was almost beautiful. He made sure to avoid Lúcio and Jack specifically in his motions as he saw Genji was capable of deflecting bullets to other suitable targets. Reaper felt good as he saw the bullet wounds were not being repaired and kept firing and firing. The shotguns were flying at a swift pace as he quickly emptied the round into the beast. Soon, they stepped away from the smoking mass of hard light and metal. Jack was carefully looking over his gun, fussing over it like a mother would their child. Genji however was merely happy the battle was over and sheathed his blade. Lúcio kept the healing music pulsing out, some of it for his own benefit as he felt his heart rate still sky high after that battle. The shivering mass of hard light and metal groaned weakly. "You haven't seen the last of..."

"MEKA activated," D. Va called out, causing the mech to drop down on top of their foe. The team could not help but laugh as the remaining monster was squished underneath the product of Korean mech technology and the country's obsession for video gaming.

Gabriel stopped laughing after a moment and glanced back towards the building that they used to take cover from the explosion. He felt his heart stop as he noticed Sally was slumped against the door frame and looking right at him, with a smile of pride on her face.

That day, Gabriel Reyes knew he did the right thing.


	12. A Party to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parties, Conspiracies, and Chaos oh my

Gabriel Reyes groaned as he was itching to reach for the button to end the uncomfortable video call. "Yes Mercy. She is taking the medicine you prescribed for her. Of course she's being stubborn. Medics and doctors are the worst patients." He smirked slightly at the narrowed eyes of the blonde. "Her reflexes seem fine though."

"Gabriel," the Swiss doctor carefully emphasized the mercenary's real name. "We know Sally hides things."

"And some of it, unintentionally." He massaged his neck slightly as he thought on it a little longer. "She still seems a bit off though. Her personality anyway."

"Oh?" Angela Ziegler leaned forward slightly in interest. It was rare in general for Gabriel Reyes to ever disclose additional information that was not needed in a mission in the past and now to be talking about something bothering him was definitely progress. "How so?"

"She's more aggressive," he said quietly. He was no pushover but he could recognize hostility easily as he knew he normally exuded and lived this emotion. Or at least, used to. "I don't mean since Overwatch ended and the recall you lot are trying to keep secret began. The aggression then she displayed was normal and expected by anyone who knew better. And to be fair, that could be played off as annoyance."

The doctor flushed slightly in embarrassment. "I did not anticipate her taking your _death_ so hard. Especially considering you two never connected outside of that drinking contest..."

"Because Jack saw what he wanted," he said with a frown. Angela however looked surprised at the lack of relative bitterness and almost acceptance in the tone. "Ancient history. Anyways, she is displaying some aggression that isn't normal. When she holds me or tries to get my attention, she is more forceful. Anytime Jack irritates her, she is snappier. Her... banter with Genji is almost non-existant now. A week ago, she would go back and forth in Japanese but now... stilted conversation in English."

This perplexed the doctor as she knew the two had a friendship. "Does she speak with you in Spanish still?"

"Barely. It seems after a moment or two, she _remembers_ where she is and snaps out of whatever is going on. The affection will return to normal but then in a few more minutes, she reverts to being harsher. I don't understand this. Angela, aren't women supposed to be happy when you ask them to be your girlfriend?"

The blonde woman lit up happily. "Oh you did? Excellent. And yes. She should be happy. Wasn't she when you asked?"

"She was so blissful," he said with a slight smile that quirked his lip up. "And after we defeated that cyborg..."

"Are you so certain it's a cyborg?" Angela interjected. "That kind of technology in the wrong hands..."

"After the Korean's mech landed on it, I smelt human blood." There was an awkward silence for a few minutes. "Isn't this technology not supposed to be commonplace. I've encountered three cyborgs in the space of a few years."

"Oh?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Other than Genji and this one, what of the other?"

"A target," he responded coldly. "Nothing more."

"Are you certain?" the piercing eyes of a doctor examined Reaper sharply, looking to see a weakness or a tell in his body language. However, between his time in Blackwatch and as a Talon mercenary, he had experience in hiding his feelings and thoughts from the forefront.

"Pretty certain. It had none of the elegance," he said with a sneer. "That you put into Genji's construction."

Slightly suspicious, she sighed. "He was not my first foray into integrating a human body with mechanical components to create a cyborg."

"And what a surprise. The good doctor experiments," Gabriel sneered bitterly.

"I've apologized so much, Gabriel! Mein Gott! Vhat else do you vant from me?" Angela shrieked, annoyance making her accent come out in full force. "Honestly! I even tried the best to be able to get assistance for my student."

"And I do appreciate that," Gabriel admitted. "But I just want to figure out what's going on inside that head. You're a woman, Angela. Tell me what you think is..."

"Oh no," she denied adamantly. "I'm not getting in the middle of a lover's spat between you two. Especially when neither of you can stand me a majority of the time." She shook her head again for emphasis. "Ask her. Sally should appreciate honestly. How bad could it go?"

The door slammed hard against the frame as it was pushed open. "You're still talking to her," Sally gruffly stated as she crossed her arms. Even when she was disdainful towards her teacher, she at least would be polite enough to nod but now, her eyes were hard with an accusing glint to them. "What's next? Joining Overwatch and helping with the infirmary?"

"Sally..." Gabriel said softly. "She wanted to check up on your condition and I was just filling her in on that."

Both Angela and Gabriel noted as the medic clenched her fists with irritation and some electricity sparked between them. "I see... Well, I'm awake then. Not like I can sleep much with this blasted condition anyway."

"I'm trying to work on a sedative that could help the both of you," Mercy offers tentatively. Reaper notices however how her hand is twitching with the urge to write down or record the oddity that is Sally's behavior. "It would help with your sleep and perhaps ground the two of you?"

"Or fuck up our bodies even more. I'm not particularly impressed with your track record, doc." Gabriel winced at the harsh words from his woman.

_It's one thing for me to say that but for her... Damn._ "We'll find a way. Thank you, Mercy."

The Swiss doctor nodded quickly, sensing the out that the mercenary was giving her. "Be safe you two. Say hi to Genji and Jack for me."

"Whatever," Sally rolled her eyes as she turned away. Gabriel hit the switch to end the call after giving an apologetic look to the doctor. She did not turn back around until the monitor flickered. "What took so long?"

"Mercy was very interested in the cyborg. And concerned about our health. Especially when I mentioned Genji coughing during the battle."

He received a blank look. "Genji isn't an omnic. There is a human or at least part of one still there. Organics do need to breathe. No matter how godly Angela fucking Ziegler is, she cannot change that."

_Shit, is her medic mode even on? She's pretty heartless right now._ "Actually... both of us got a good dose of that gas that caused him to cough. I wonder if it did anything to us..." He looked down at his hand in wonder. "I remember being really angry afterwards. And being very tempted to just let Jack and Genji die."

"Gabriel, you don't really like either of them," Sally pointed out bluntly. "I don't remember much of the whole gas thing. Think I was out of it."

"You were, mi reina." The words cause her to soften slightly and bite her lip. "I just want you to be okay."

"What's happening to me, Gabriel?" she whispered softly as realization dawned. "This doesn't feel right." She rubbed her hands together nervously. "I feel so angry for some reason. I want everything to burn," she said quieter. "I want to be selfish. I want you so bad that I'd fuck you in front of everyone and not care. I want things that I shouldn't follow through with. What's wrong with me?"

"We'll figure it out, mi amor." She smiled at his answer and went to him as he held his arms for her. She nuzzled him softly and sighed. "It's likely some shit that Talon did."

She frowned and he felt a slight bolt of electricity dance around her cheek in frustration. Immediately she pulled away, eyes cold. "Speaking of Talon, call up Widowmaker. I want to give that bitch a piece of my mind."

Reaper felt stricken almost when he felt her retreat from him, physically and emotionally. _Is something triggering this with her? The fuck..._ "If we're calling her, we should get Genji and Jack too. They as former Overwatch members..."

"Yeah. Whatever. Go," she said dismissively as she waved him off. "I'll shower."

He left as soon as she turned away. Before, she would be slightly shy or even, try to innocently tease him with a flash of skin but now, she was completely uncaring. _I'll find out what is going on with this..._ He left the room quickly and did not have to travel far to see his two former comrades. Jack Morrison was cleaning his gun while Genji was carefully sharpening his katana. "We're going to contact Widowmaker soon."

"I see," Soldier: 76 answered gruffly. "Are we calling her out?"

"I don't know what Sally will do," Reaper said quietly. "She's not right. We all know this."

"Something happened in that battlefield. It was so fast of a change that there is no other logical explanation," Genji deduced. "But how? What?"

"Genji, when you were coughing from the gas, did you feel any emotions?"

The ninja hummed slightly. "Anger. I wanted to kill. For amusement. As a Shimada, they try to encourage us to feel that and it is something I normally was able to repress with little trouble. When I felt that gas however, I... I wanted to indulge."

"How fast did the feeling pass?" Reaper pressed.

"When we left the immediate area," Genji said before tilting his head somewhat at the mercenary. "I felt a murderous rage... but after a couple days, I was more or less myself," Reaper admitted.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about. I felt fine even after walking through the area," the white haired man frowned. "What could affect you two..."

"Sally is still being affected by it," Reaper added. "She's very aggressive and abrasive."

Genji's head hung sadly. "There is... malice in her tone. It is most unbecoming of her." He then motioned his head towards Reaper. "And this man isn't the cause of it either."

"I don't know whether to be offended or not," Gabriel sneered before sighing. "We need to investigate this gas."

"It explains why Angela would request me to acquire a sample of Sally's blood," Genji spoke up. He received a withering glare from the mercenary. "I don't think she is aware of how poor things between us are."

"Or she has confidence enough in your skills," Jack interjected, hoping to head off a fight. "Anyways, we need to prepare for Widowmaker."

"Count us in," D. Va chirped up. Behind her, Lúcio was nodding. "We're part of the team now too!"

Reaper groaned. "Damn it. We don't need kids here."

"We aren't kids with what we went through. Before and after Hollywood," Lúcio pointed out bluntly. "Besides, something is going on with the Doc and we want to help. If talking to whoever or supporting Overwatch helps, then I'm for it."

"Do you realize Overwatch has been painted as illegal in any actions they undertake?" Reaper inquired sharply.

"And none of us had _nothing_ to do with that I'm certain," the Shimada coughed under his breath. Morrison had to bite his lip to stifle a snicker while Reyes merely glared.

Lúcio's ears perked however. Due to all the equipment he wore, he had sound amplifiers in his own ears as well. "I would be up for joining Overwatch anyway. Especially if it'll stop organizations like Talon and Vishkar."

"If Talon is shut down, maybe the Giant Omnics will stop trying to invade my country," D. Va pointed out. "I'm up for that."  
"Fine then. Genji, set up the communication. Old Blackwatch frequency," Reaper barked out orders. "Boy Scout, get some alcohol. We'll need it." The white haired man rolled his eyes at the childish name. "And you two..." the mercenary muttered as he stared at the two bright eyed youths. "Will be silent throughout the call. Do not ask her anything."

"Can't you trust us?" the Korean said quietly. The hurt in her tone was almost tangible.

"Haven't we been helpful?" Lúcio added. "We aren't trying to make things hard or..."

"Widowmaker is a traitor beyond all measure," Reaper scowled bluntly. "The least amount of attention she has on you, the better. Do not give her any ammunition. Do not provoke or respond to her. She is dangerous because how she disarms people."

Sally walked out of the room she had been sharing with Gabriel and stared blankly at everyone gathered around. "Everyone in on it then?" she spoke sharply. Soldier: 76 handed her a cup of coffee that she drank despite the scowl on her face. "Let's get this shit over with," she said as she sat at the table, fiddling with the skirt she wore.

Gabriel sighed as he sat next to her but noticed that she did not seem to acknowledge the action. Normally, Sally would have at least angled the chair slightly or had some physical contact with him but instead, was aloof. He decided to initiate contact by leaning his chin against her shoulder. She turned her head slightly to look at him blankly. "You okay?" he asked softly into her ear.

"Fine," she replied before turning away. He noticed her eyes flickered slightly but was saddened at her attitude.

"Connection is ready," Genji announced. "Shall we?"

Reaper reached for a button and began to input a password. It barely finished before a picture of a breathless, blue woman woman took over the screen. She gasped in surprise before composing herself swiftly, face schooled into a blank slate. "Mon cher," she greeted Reaper. "And... guests. I expected your woman on the call but ze ozzers?"

"Does it matter? Interrogate the shrew," Genji scowled behind his faceplate.

"Such a low class response," the French woman sneered. "Unworthy of a Shimada heir."

"You would know Shimada men, wouldn't you?" The ninja's body language spoke purely of contempt and conveyed the sneer he surely wore. "After all, despite our estrangement, Hanzo has spoken of you _very well_ in regards to certain attributes of yours."

"Oh?" they all saw an awkward pleasure take over the sniper's face. "Such as?"

"Something along the lines of how well your legs frame his waist," the ninja snarled as he drew his sword. "Why are we not interrogating the vile widow?"

"Amelie," Soldier: 76 began cooly. "We captured the payload after defeating the abomination that Talon worked with Vishkar to create."

"The suit was a work of art created by their head Architech, Symmetra," the French woman sneered. "The man who piloted said suit was warped due to an explosion a long time ago. In the past, he was a powerful soldier but the drugs that were trying to cure him twisted him further. After a while, it turned out he could not live without the suit and so, Talon integrated him." She pushed up her visor to stare at them with her calculating gaze. "But that wasn't the point. You mentioned the payload?"

"I'm wearing what was sent," Sally spoke up as she held up her hands. Thin, black leather looking gloves were tightly around her hand. The sheen on them almost looked metallic however and she wiggled her finger tips, which were not covered by the glove. She then motioned towards a leather collar that held a single, silver bell. The diameter was roughly a half inch. "And it makes no fucking sense. Explain, salope."

Widowmaker gave an elegant, somewhat aggravated shrug. "I do not know. I was unable to crack any furzzer entries. Your mozzer's journal had a program zat shut it down. Even Sombra is unable."

"Sombra failed to hack?" Reaper spoke up darkly. "And you shared the journal with her? Mierde. Can I not trust you?"

"Who is Sombra?" Sally's voice icily hissed. Her glare deepened as electricity sparked between her fingertips. "And what is this useless gear I was left..."

"Ma cherie, your eyes," Widowmaker smirked as she watched Sally. Her hair started to glow with static electricity. "Most wonderful. Appears zere is a purpose."

As Sally clenched her fist, Gabriel put his hand over it. The motion startled her, causing her electricity to cease. "Relax." He glared slightly at Widowmaker. "Also, I'm certain you know that there is another Doomfist."

"Not in Talon's possession," the French woman said with a raised eyebrow. "It would have been big news. So we do not..."

"I read it," Sally said quietly. "There was a Doomfist in the payload."

"And it was missing when we opened it. There was a box the size of a Doomfist, with a cushion for one, with a missing cargo inside. Tell me, Widowmaker, what the fuck happened to it?" Reaper demanded in anger. "And if you fucking dare lie to me, puta..."

"I don't know!" she shrieked, flushed cheeks standing out against her skin. "There shouldn't have been a Doomfist. We failed to retrieve one and I know what one looks like."

"Zat's impossible! Merde!" Widowmaker flushed slightly then paled. "You realize... ze implications!"

"So, if Talon doesn't have a Doomfist..." Soldier: 76 gulped slightly. "Then who does?"

Meanwhile, an Indian woman was surveying the weapon in her hands with a frown. "There are so many design flaws with this but yet... it was considered powerful and effective. Why?" the Architech scowled as she used her glove to pull up a schematic of the weapon in her hands. It was not too difficult to sneak into the Talon shipment, acquire the weapon and leave. The distraction that the remaining Overwatch members had unintentionally provided was perfect but she was debating if she should even report to Vishkar that her operation was successful. She was even certain to eliminate her own teleporter, minimizing the chance that Vishkar involvement was suspected. There was one thing that was in Satya Vaswani's way: Lúcio Correia dos Santos. She had bit her lip seeing him distantly with her visor and knew she had to avoid detection at all costs.

"Symmetra?" a blank voice sounded over her communicator. She glanced at the harmless looking design, emblazoned with the Vishkar logo and sighed.

_I should answer it. I should give Sanjay the report. But how can I? After Rio de Janeiro... those people I wanted to help and he just accepted the fire like it was nothing. They are nothing to him. If it wasn't for my talent... No! I refuse to be nothing._

"Satya? Please answer me," his voice tinged with worry but the manipulator of hard light set her jaw firmly.

"Good bye," she said calmly before crushing the communicator in her hand. She watched the hard light creation shatter before her and then turned her attention to the bulky Doom Fist in her hand. "I need to alter this. It is gaudy and impractical." She flicked her hands however and brought up a teleport schematic. "I need to move quickly." She glanced up at the video camera observing her and frowned. She set up a turret right above, rigged to explode and slipped through the hard light of her teleporter without another glance back.

"Sheebal," D. Va cursed as she tapped away at her laptop. She normally performed well under pressure and with an audience but the surveillance system of the Hollywood set was being uncooperative. "There is a foreign firewall installed and it's being very difficult."

"Take all the time you need, Hana." She smiled at the white haired soldier who was trying to reassure her.

"We don't have all day," Reaper hissed, causing the Korean to jump slightly in alarm. "Otherwise, I'll try to call Widowmaker back up again to have Sombra..."

"Try to contact this _Sombra_ and I won't speak to you," Sally hissed with anger. Electricity zipped across her body before going around her choker. When the bolts touched the bell though, a single chime rang, calming her. She blinked slightly and looked around to see everyone watch her warily. "There has to be another way. What did you mean foreign firewall?"

"It's not one common with American systems," D. Va clarified as she scowled at the screen. "But I don't think it's Talon either. It is a bit more... refined."

"Sombra's abilities as a hacker are pretty fine tuned," Reaper murmured quietly. "You sure?"

"I've heard of Sombra before. The Korean government believes she is one that is remotely stirring up the Omnics in our area," she revealed. "The programming and code that is still intact in the Omnics I've destroyed have been dissected to reveal a skull motif out of everything. One similar to your mask, Reaper."

The mercenary rubbed his chin out of annoyance, wanting very much to have his mask on right now. "So, someone else is interfering? Between Overwatch, Talon, and Vishkar... Who is left to butt in?"

"I will have Hanzo use his resources and network," Genji murmured softly. "The Shimada may not be what they once were, but we still have our ways."

"I'll have to report back," Soldier: 76 sighed. "Winston will want a full report on everything and he might even be able to hack into the system."

"I'm surprised you haven't taken up the reins again," Reaper commented idly. "One would think you'd leap up at the chance again. I mean, you did throw away a friendship for it."

The soldier chuckled slightly. "I think it's on the road to recovery," he said with a smirk. "Besides, I never was one for that paperwork crap."

"I suppose it was more intensive than driving a tractor," Reaper snickered. "So, Soldier is going back. I'm sticking with Sally..."

"We still have Lúcio's concert!" D. Va reminded them all with a scolding finger. "Don't you dare miss it."

"I do have tickets for you all... If you want," the Brazilian beamed at them as he held up the tickets. "VIP and all. Only the best for my friends."

"This would be... interesting," Genji murmured as he took his ticket. "And with these seats, if anyone threatens you..."

"Vishkar doesn't dare at my own concerts," Lúcio assured the ninja. "Too much attention on them after I helped get them sent away from Brazil. And with my status..." He paused slightly and rubbed his head. "I guess I'm a celebrity. They can't afford being seen taking me down or knocking me off a pedestal. It helps that almost anywhere, I'm streaming and recording myself."

"Ditto," D. Va confirmed. "My MEKA even has a feature so I can edit and upload videos."

"You two... didn't get any confidential information did you?" Soldier: 76 groaned at the thought.

"It isn't confidential if you let us join," the Korean smiled sweetly. "I don't see a reason to _not_ join."

"Exactly," Lúcio slung an arm on Soldier: 76's shoulder. He shrugged off the youth's limb with a frown. "Why are you so angry?"

"This isn't a game for baby faced recruits," he scolded them. "People do die in our operations sometimes."

"And you forgot we killed a few days ago, Dad," D. Va reminded him. "We'll be fine. Besides... you guys need us."

The gruff man opened his mouth a few times then closed it resolutely. "Fine. Winston will decide when you meet him."

"Yahoo!" D. Va pumped up her fist joyfully. "I broke in! And get to join the big OW!"

Sally shook her head at the Korean. "What did you find?"

The gamer sighed a moment later. "Turns out every single video camera was on loop. The whole time. Someone didn't want Talon to realize what we're doing and react properly to it."

"Can you find anything?" Reaper hissed in annoyance.

"Whoever it is, covered their tracks pretty damn well. Almost like... they were inside the network."

Sally shivered slightly, causing Gabriel to give her a concerned look. "Do you think it's an enemy... or friend?"

"Does it matter? We're missing information but we have a prior obligation," Genji reminds them. "Lúcio-san's concert first."

"No! A party!" D. Va proclaimed loudly. "You all agreed!" _To some extent,_ the Korean mused as she saw the look of defeat on all of them. "Now, we got to get some good alcohol here. Because we're playing drinking games at the very least."

"Good. I feared being dragged to a nightclub," Gabriel hissed.

"It's not like it's a day club," Jack teased, to receive a smack on the head from Genji. "What's that for?" he whined slightly.

"Leave the puns to dark and broody. He has to have something to remind him that he was human once."

"Bite me, Shit-mada," Reaper threatened with a glare.

Sally rolled her eyes at the antics. "Okay, so a mini party before Lúcio's concert? That way, he isn't wasted or anything when he's on stage."

"I would never puke or disappoint my fans," the DJ proclaimed. "Besides, I have a decent tolerance."

Genji sighed. "I will partake of only a little sake. I cannot drink much due to my form."

The pro gamer gasped and examined Genji carefully. "Where does any sake go?"

"In my mouth," the cyborg deadpanned. He started to laugh as he watched the Korean search around his head for a mouth. "I have it behind a faceplate. For safety."

She huffed slightly. "I will see your mouth sometime." She glanced towards the other former Overwatch members. "How do you three drink?"

"Decently high tolerance," Soldier: 76 muttered. "Between the SEP and my old days of drinking moonshine..."

"Gods you're such a hick," Reaper groaned. "Sally and I probably have the highest tolerance of everyone here."

"It might be best if I don't drink too much," the medic reminded them.

A collective shudder flew down everyone's spine at the reminder of how moody and angry the moody had become. "Good idea," Lúcio said cheerily. "So maybe just a few games before? That way, we enjoy tonight!"

"I'll get the alcohol. Sally? ¿Ven aca, mi reina?" Gabriel spoke as he reached for a hoodie sweater.

"Sure. I think it'll help me cool off," she said as she reached for a half jacket. "We'll get a variety."

"Nothing cheap," D. Va called out happily.

"Of course not," the medic sneered as she accompanied her boyfriend. The normally gruff man did a good job being threatening without even appearing armed. "Where are your shotguns?"

He held up his hands and she saw a gun begin to reform from some shadowy wisps. "I wonder if the souls fuel this," he said quietly as he clenched his hands to watch the wisps vanish. "I never bothered questioning it and only accepted it. Why would I look a gift horse in the mouth?"

"It's different now, Gabriel," she said as she begin to pile in the alcohol into a shopping cart.

"Remember that, Sally." He said gruffly as he took the cart to ring up. He reached for his phone to access his payment app and his eyes nearly bugged out when he saw how much money was displayed. He glanced at the medic with a frown but turned back to pay when he noticed she was only staring at the news magazines with a scowl on her face. "You look annoyed," he spoke sharply as he finished paying for the liquor.

"Speculation of where I am and what I am," she said softly. "The young ones trying to cover for me is adorable but the reality is that people are afraid of anything not human."

"But you are..."

"Gabriel..." She felt her voice grow airy for a moment. "I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin. I must confess that I feel like a monster."

"I hate what I've become, the nightmare's just begun. I must confess I feel like a monster," Gabriel finished with narrowed eyes. "You hardly are the only one who found music to suit their situation."

"Your voice sounds nice when you sing," Sally said quietly. "Even when you're not trying to be loud about it..."

Gabriel smiled softly at her. "Thank you. If it calms you, I'll sing more."

Sally flicked the bell on her choker slightly. "Why do I still feel so angry, Gabriel? I want it to stop. Why won't it stop?"

"I don't know, mi reina. But we will get to the bottom of this. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that," she snarked a bit sharper than she intended as she carried some of the bottles inside Lúcio's suite.

"Yay!" D. Va called out happily as she rushed to find something she would like. "We came up with some games too!"

"Did you try to restrain them at all?" Reaper asked of the other two former Overwatch members.

"Yes," Jack began to just be cut off by Genji.

"Iie."

Sally laughed slightly as they migrated to the living room area and placed all the alcohol in the middle. "So what first?"

"Never have I ever!" D. Va proclaimed. "What better ice breaker is there?"

"Guess it's better than Truth or Dare," Reaper sighed as he began to distribute the shot glasses.

"That would have been terrible," Soldier: 76 agreed as he took his glass and sniffed the alcohol in it carefully.

"Do I start?" Lúcio asked as he sniffed the rum that was poured out first with excitement. Shrugs followed, causing him to frown. "Come on, this is supposed to be fun." He tapped his glass thoughtfully. "So... I have never held an actual gun."

Groaning, everyone else took a sip of alcohol. "Really?" Reaper commented. "That is surprising."

"Why is it surprising?" Lúcio narrowed his eyes.

"I have never!" D. Va spoke loudly, to break up the tension. "Kissed a girl."

"At least it's not the quantity," Genji murmured as he took a sip, causing Gabriel to choke up in laughter next to him on his drink.

"Someone has an interesting history," Lúcio smiled around his shot glass before putting back down.

"It ought to have it's own book," Jack agreed as he put his down.

Sally sipped on her drink and sighed. "I remember Mei using that very same one because Tracer combined Truth or Dare with this game..."

"You guys played this in Overwatch?" D. Va beamed.

"Of course we did," Soldier: 76 confirmed. "Had to have some fun and celebrate successful missions."

Genji swirled the liquor in his glass thoughtfully. "I have never..." He paused and hummed slightly. "This is a bit more difficult than I thought."

"That's saying a bit," Sally snickered. The alcohol was causing her to flush slightly but she seemed almost cheery.

"I have never left my weapons lying about where someone could stumble upon them," Genji proclaimed proudly as Gabriel poured his drink.

"But your ninja stars," Lúcio pointed out.

"A good ninja never leaves his weapon out where it could expose him. If you were to look upon the Hollywood sets, you would find nothing." Genji smirked from behind his faceplate. "It would be poor practice to waste what was allocated to us."

"Moving on," the mercenary groaned as he felt the ninja's gaze upon him with disdain.

"I have never..." Soldier: 76 begun with a snicker. "Crashed a vehicle."

"Bite me," Sally groaned as she poured some alcohol into her own glass. Gabriel echoed the sentiment while Hana cheered at consuming some of her own. "I have never gotten my code name from a gas station."

"That was supposed to be a secret," the white haired commander hissed slightly as he poured his own shot.

"I thought that was a joke? Or at least if it was your soldier number during the SEP?" Gabriel questioned with curiosity.

"I'm not telling you my number but the gas station did partially contribute..." He looked reminiscent for a moment. "Stop laughing, damn it."

"I have never," the mercenary began as he kept laughing, "Tripped while dancing."

"Oh for the love of..." Soldier: 76 huffed as he drank. "How was I supposed to dance during a Quinceañera?"

"Oh, you put an accent on the n!" Sally cheered as she held up her shot glass. "I'm so proud of you."

"Cheer up, Pops," Lúcio chirped as he patted the gruff soldier's shoulder. "It happens to everyone," he said as he sipped his drink. "Never have I fallen because of texting or using my phone."

"Young kids I swear," Soldier: 76 huffed as he poured another drink. "And don't you two start laughing," he threatened as he pointed at Reaper and Salvation.

The mercenary had a shit eating grin while the medic held her stomach. "This is going to be so good!"

"My turn," D. Va chirped happily. "Never have I taken food out of a trash can and eaten it."

The laughter that Sally had died pretty fast with a wince as Lúcio, Jack and Gabriel all took a sip. "Out of all the questions, really?"

"I forgot the good one I had!" the Korean tried to defend herself.

"So what did you do while we were getting the alcohol?" Sally scowled as she felt her blood start to boil.

"Rirakkusu," Genji told the medic as he cleared his throat. Sally bit her lip but merely slumped into Gabriel's side. To the mercenary's credit, he did not seem too fussed about the Korean's unintentionally insensitive turn. "I have never," he enunciated clearly. "Snooped through a friend's bedroom." The Korean gamer chuckled nervously as she took a sip while Lúcio shrugged during his drink. He looked slightly reassured when Soldier: 76 sipped. Reaper merely threw back back his head and downed the shot quickly.

"My turn," the white haired man hummed slightly as he tapped his fingers. While not drunk, he was starting to feel a buzz. "I have never taken part in a talent show."

Lúcio shrugged down another shot while Sally laughed slightly as she drank hers. "That was an old memory," she smiled. "Only time I'd sing in front of the whole school too."

"What did you sing?" Gabriel questioned, curious.

"Well, normally the thing is, the band's singer was sick and I was the closest to them, tone wise. They did not know I actually could sing... somewhat," she acquiesced. "The song was Psycho by Puddle of Mudd." She thought on it slightly and her smile slipped. "I guess I did it a bit convincingly. Everyone avoided me for a bit."

"Then they are fools," Reaper hissed as he held her hand slightly.

"Thanks," she said as she turned her head towards him. The bell chimed slightly, reminding her of the game. "I have never had a physical fight with my best friend." Soldier: 76 and Reaper quickly took a sip.

"My turn," the dark clothed man proclaimed. "I have never donated blood."

"Good thing too," Sally said slightly as she saw no one drank. "I guess none of us have."

Hana Song had a huge smile on her face as she chirped out, "I have never had sex with someone in this room."

"That escalated quickly," Genji muttered as he tried to restrain a snicker from escaping.

Both of the Asians were not surprised at Soldier: 76 and Salvation taking a sip but when Lúcio sipped and not Reaper, they both stared at the mercenary. "Rub it in more, why don't you?" he sneered as he looked very displeased.

"Don't look at me," Sally gave them a very narrow glare. "I didn't sleep with Lúcio."

The entire room focused on the gruff soldier who was gripping his shot glass so tightly, his fingers were paling due to the force. "Don't we have a concert to get ready for?" he roared as he downed the drink and stomped off to his room. Lúcio watched him leave with a look of worry on his face as he followed him.

"Excuse me," Gabriel hissed as he abandoned his alcohol and stalked away from the party. He glanced slightly towards Sally before inclining his head slightly and walking away.

"See you guys later when the concert starts," Sally said sharply as she ran after Gabriel. _And for once, it isn't and is Jack's fault at the same time._

Genji blinked at the now almost empty room while the Korean looked really guilty. "I thought Sally and Gabriel," she explained before stopping as Genji's body language took an alarmed pose. "I know their real names," she huffed slightly. "Anyways, I thought the two had already _been_ together and would be able to use this to make them drink more."

"Well... it did bring about an unexpected result. I wonder when Lúcio and the former commander had a few moments together." Genji glanced at where the former Blackwatch commander had stomped off to, closely followed by the medic. "As for them... Let's see if they're in the mood to even mingle with us tonight."

Gabriel was definitely in a poor mood the minute Sally walked into their room. The alcohol was magnifying his mood, making it even poorer by the moment. She caught a few pillows that the commander was tossing about, in an effort to actually not damage anything and cause Lúcio inconvenience. "Gabriel," she whispered softly as she put down the pillows. "Can I do anything to..."

"Keep your distance," he roared as his head shot up. Sally noted his aggressive stance but the eyes caught her attention. The alcohol did not create enough of a haze to hide the lust starting to build in the panes of his soul. "I'm serious, mi reina," his intoned in his voice which seemed to deepen even further. "I..."

"What if I'd welcome it?" Sally challenged as she walked towards him. "You know how I feel about you. You know what I've wanted. What we've wanted..."

"But it doesn't mean that now is right," he roared loudly as he looked at her. She did not flinch from the predatory gleam building in his eyes. "I've been trying to not be a selfish asshole but you really are making it difficult right now. What do you think you're doing? Offering yourself to a drunken murderer?"

"You aren't drunk yet, Gabriel," Sally spoke confidently. "I know it takes a lot more to get you that way. Impaired, yes. Drunk, far from. The SEP does things to the body."

"And sometimes the effects are hard to fight off," he growled out as he clenched his fists in an effort to not reach for her. "Sometimes I feel it more strongly than other days. This day... It's been rough and you're making it really difficult the way you..."

"The way I what?" she asked as she tilted her head.

"Gods woman. You know I want you. Stop being cute." He turned away and looked like a bowstring pulled taut. "The SEP heightens a lot of things in their subjects. Urges... Instincts..." He glanced at Sally and she noticed his nostrils flared with hair thin self control. "I will do right by you. Even if you don't realize that now."

"The feeling I've had since the payload..." Sally began. "I could give you. You could give in. Are you certain?"

"If I'm with you, it will be as untarnished as possible," he declared firmly. "I want no alcohol, no gas, no Talon bullshit contributing into a moment that is purely about us." He stalked towards her dangerously. "I don't want any uncertainty between us. Ever. I want you happy but of a clear mind whenever we decide to take the next step. Together."

Sally smiled and could not help but feel some of the anger and emotion building slip away once she stroked the bell on her choker. "Alright Gabriel. I can respect that." She flopped onto the bed and felt her eyes slip shut. "I think I'll sleep off some of the alcohol."

"Even though you'll burn it out of your body anyway," he shook his head as he stroked the hairs along her face. Her eyes fluttered slightly at his touch, causing him to smile. "Take a nap. Maybe it'll make you feel better. Then after the concert, we plan our escape."

"Sounds like fun," she murmured as she slipped into dreamland. Gabriel exited the room, quietly pulling the door shut as he headed back towards the kitchen. He noted the Japanese cyborg ninja cleaning up the mess. "Genji," Gabriel acknowledged with a slight nod of his head.

"Commander," the cyborg bowed slightly. "Is she well?"

"Sleeping. She was getting more riled up with the game than I was," he admitted. "Her control is going to wane though at the least opportune moment. She knows that bell, whatever the fuck it does, helps her."

"She's going to over rely on it." Gabriel nodded grimly. "What will you two do?"

"After Lúcio's concert, we leave. I am worried one day she'll slip and hurt someone."

"If you two are alone... She'll try to..."

"Maybe. But perhaps at that time, it'll finally be right. And if you try to indulge your voyeur tendencies..." Gabriel threatened as he held his hand out. Shadowy wisps collected together to form a shotgun. "I don't care if I'm midway through fucking, I will shoot you."

Genji rolled his shoulders. "I no longer indulge myself in that lifestyle and am perfectly content." He grabbed his katana and began to walk away. "And two, I would deflect the shot. I'd make sure to aim it away. Sally would not appreciate it if I let the bullet soar right back and..."

"Fuck you too, Shimada." Despite the words though, Gabriel had a warm smile. "Are you going to recruit your brother into Overwatch?"

"He is dancing around the issue but yes. I will." Genji's confidence was unwavering. "If he hesitates, I'll remind him that he owes me."

"I think killing you transcends past owing straight into becoming your bitch," the mercenary added bluntly.

Genji threw his head back and laughed merrily. "It's a joy to have you back like this, Commander."

Reaching for a tequila bottle, he could not help but laugh as well. "It hasn't been a completely unpleasant experience seeing you all again."

" _Hasn't been a completely unpleasant experience_ is Gabe code for, 'I'll miss you fuckers too'," Soldier: 76 drawled as he strolled back into the room. He still looked fairly irate but resigned. "Lúcio's prepping for the concert," he informed both men without needing to be asked. "I'm letting him be otherwise he'll keep asking if I'm okay."

"I'd say you likely are better than okay if you've had Lúcio in your bed and managed to keep it quiet from some of the others," Gabriel pointed out as he sipped the alcohol in his hand. "You're such a cradle robber."

"What?" Jack retorted as he choked on the whiskey he had grabbed. "I am not!"

"Historically, Jack Morrison has appeared to go after younger members of Overwatch before finally settling on a casual relationship with Sally Jones. Now it seems the newest casualty of our former commander's proclivity..." Genji began before being cut off by Gabriel.

"Or is Jack the victim this time?" The mercenary's words caused the vigilante to frown. "Think about it. Lúcio is pretty different than Sally, both personality and situation wise. He won't sit in the back and grasp for any thread of attention he's given." A cruel smirk took place. "Maybe it is karma."

"You're both looking far too into this," Jack denied. "It's just a few flings. Nothing more."

"So he says," Genji said quietly before rising. "Be careful, Jack-san. Our hearts often act before our minds."

Lúcio meanwhile was tapping out a beat as he finished downloading the latest effects he wanted to display onto his thumb drive. When he heard a knock at the door, his head flew up. "Come in," he hollered, as he continued to fiddle with his computer.

"It's still great to know a celebrity," Hana Song chirped as she waltzed into the room. Her eyes lit up at the music. "Putting together your show? Please don't show me! No spoilers!"

He laughed as he closed the computer. "Was just doing the finishing touches is all. What can I do for you, Hana?"

"So... you and Dad..." she began with a smirk. "How big is he?"

"Hana..."

"Does he dominate you?"

"Hana," Lúcio frowned in semi annoyance.

"Does he make you call him Daddy?"

"Hana!" Lúcio full on scowled now. "Please leave it alone. It's not like we're in a relationship or something."

"Well that's no fun!" The gamer huffed. "It's not like I can tease Mr. Gloom and Doom about his relationship. Especially when she's starting to get PMSing electricity in the mix."

Lúcio could not help the snort that escaped. "Don't let Miss Sally hear that," he warned. "Whatever gas she breathed in at the set really is messing with her. Even letting my healing beat go around her isn't fixing anything."

"Can your music fix what's in the mind?" D. Va asked seriously. "What she has isn't like PTSD or some of the other mental things I've seen with other MEKA pilots."

"I dunno. From what I've overheard from the old men talking," Lúcio began before Hana started to snicker. "Genji apparently felt blood lust while Mr. Reaper felt even more murderous."

"He doesn't need help projecting that aura," Hana shivered. "Sometimes it feels like he's about to snap then he relaxes."

"When I talked to Jack, he said that while Gabriel always had an abrasive personality, that he genuinely was happy at the start of Overwatch. He was a great soldier with endless potential that ultimately, wanted to do the right thing. It's hard to imagine that it was only jealousy that would turn such a staunch friend into an enemy."

"You think Talon did something?" Hana spoke up after a moment of silence. "Like brainwashing?"

"If they did that to the French woman, who was devoted to her husband, I don't see why not," Lúcio reasoned. "We may be new to this Overwatch stuff, but we will notice things that they may not."

"Let me look into her past. That Widow person. Maybe I'll dig something up," Hana offered. "I got resources all over the world. There is a reason I'm one of the ambassadors."

"Just be careful. This isn't a video game," Lúcio sighed as he looked down at his hands. "We could die if we misstep."

"You sound just like my general the first time they put me inside a MEKA," D. Va said fondly as she patted him on the shoulder. "Anyways, let's get ready for your concert!"

Meanwhile, Genji was groaning as he was trying to reason with his brother over video call. "Hanzo, you must listen to me."

"No, you will listen to me, foolish little brother." The man's English was clipped with irritation. "I am on vacation. To try to escape the reminders of our clan that you slaughtered," he reminded bluntly. "I will look into what you request when I return and not before then."

"Will you be careful of the French woman?"

The older man rolled his eyes. "I was not born yesterday. I would never join an organization that completely lacks honor." He then shuddered. "I have yet to cleanse my soul of that night." He paused then frowned. "Genji. Does the name Gerard mean something to you?"

"That's the name of her husband that she had killed after she was captured," the ninja revealed with a frown that no one could see. "How do you..."

"She called me that as she reached completion. I was unsure if I was to be concerned or angered that she said another man's name."

"Well... she definitely feels a lot more than Talon expects then."

The archer shrugged slightly. "Are we done? I wish to see the sights?"

"Where are you vacationing, brother?"

"Sayonara, Genji." Hanzo ended the call and sighed as he looked towards the beachfront of Dorado.

Investigating the extent of the Shimada influence was an arduous task he did not expect. To think it would take him all the way to Dorado, Mexico made him frown. _To think father had made deals with the local thugs here..._ He closed his eyes as he tried to translate the chattering Spanish on the roads below him. The language was difficult for him to grasp outside of a few keywords here and there. He saw a few Omnics running from the thugs and frowned. He had nothing against Omnics, especially after the fact his brother was a cyborg now. He notched an arrow and steadied his aim. "I should make these streets safe again. I will eradicate the negative influence of my family."

With a start, Soldier: 76 woke up from his dream and glanced around. It took a few seconds for his heartrate to calm down. _Shake it off, Jack. We're not in Dorado. We're in Hollywood and you're going to watch Lúcio perform._ He stopped from thinking of the Brazilian youth as Gabriel emerged from his room with a questioning look on his face.

"I may not be as social as you, but even I know better than to show up to the concert in slept in clothing," Gabriel pointed out coldly. "You look like shit, Jack."

"Fuck off, Gabe." He sat up from the couch and frowned. "How long was I out?"

"A few hours. The kids were getting worried. Even Sally was tempted to examine you and do you really want to be examined by her _now_?" Both men shuddered slightly at the thought of the medic's now volatile temper.

"Well, I guess I need to get dressed." Jack headed towards his room and frowned when he saw Gabriel follow him. "Do you mind?"

"Nah, I don't. Besides we need to talk." The mercenary did not look impressed with the soldier's snippy attitude. "Between the base's locker room, the army and all our missions in Overwatch, I've probably seen the most of your body other than your _conquests,_ " he sneered in disinterest.

"Fine." He opened the door and was slightly startled that Lúcio's stuff was missing.

"He had to get ready for his concert, pendejo."

"Oh yeah." Jack turned away and began to dig around for some clothes. He intentionally passed the articles that Lúcio insisted on buying him that 'clung well to his impressive pecs' as the DJ had put it. He settled for a simple blue shirt and sweater then put them on. He glanced at his friend's outfit and noticed a white shirt with a blue sweater around it. "You actually blend in pretty well. No one would ever guess you're a murdering psychopath."

"I'm not a psychopath," Gabriel rolled his eyes. "I'm a high functioning psychopath." His eyes widened as he noticed his friend's body as he took off his shirt. "Holy shit, Jack."

"What is it?" he asked before he looked down and groaned. "He told me he wouldn't leave marks..."

A few small scratches were minor compared to the bruising near his upper back, lower back and quite a few hickeys around his collar bone. "It only stands out more with how pale you are," Gabriel snickered slightly.

"You're pale as fuck too and I'll make fun of you just as hard once Sally gets her hands on you," Jack fired back. "She'll put a number on you."

"In the name of our friendship... I'll choose to ignore that statement," Gabriel replied tersely. "And she'd probably kill you if she heard it."

Jack shuddered slightly. "I'll be a crispy, well done Jack." He finally got his sweater placed and sighed. "Take care of her, Gabe."

"Of course I will. And I'll find a way to cure her from this madness she's acquired. I'm just happy that you... you aren't bitter towards her."

The white haired man gave his friend an incredulous look. "I'd be a complete ass if I was. It may not have ended in the best way but I did still want her to not suffer. I know you two are leaving after the concert. She's very impatient but is trying to restrain it for the sake of the younger members of our motley crew. But... will you guys affiliate with us? With Overwatch, if you won't join outright."

"Jack..." Gabriel groaned at the headache of a question that he knew would always resurface. "There's too many bad memories."

"But there are many good ones too," the former commander pointed out. "It's not like this is a timed invitation or anything."

"I've agreed with Sally to stop pursuing and killing agents. More than that, I'm uncertain," Gabriel asserted with a frown. "Don't push it. Please."

"Just take care of the two of you." Jack held out his hand and Gabriel shook it. "I don't want to lose a friend I just regained."

"Sentiment shared but any mushier and I'd need to shoot a puppy to regain any lost edge," Gabriel smirked. "Let's see if our ladies are ready."

"Genji isn't a lady."

"Jack, you act like he can change his outfit whenever he wishes. The most accessorizing he gets is if he wants to add a damn scarf," Gabriel sneered. "Come out from there, Genji. I know you."

"I want a scarf now," the ninja whined as he dropped down from the ceiling, startling the white haired man. "It would be a good way to showcase my support for our young DJ."

"I have a few scarves you can wear if it isn't too warm," D. Va called from her room as she held up a bright green scarf. "Dad, you want one?"

"No. He knows he has my support," Jack retorted gruffly.

"Especially if you gave him just as many souvenirs as he did to you," Gabriel hissed lowly with amusement. Genji snorted from behind his faceplate as Jack began to redden slightly.

"I'll kill you," he threatened Gabriel who began to smirk more.

"And like before, it won't take," he teased as he headed towards his room. "Sally?"

"Ready," she said quietly. She emerged from the room with a black lacy, shoulderless outfit that highlighted the choker on her neck. Because of the long sleeves of the outfit, you could barely notice the gloves she chose to wear. Her long skirt, black leather, had a slit across it on the left leg. As she walked, her Desert Eagle was noticeable as being holstered there. "We look good. Hana, spin around. That dress looks nice."

The pink and blue sundress did flatter the young Korean girl very well as it went mid-thigh without being too revealing and hugged her chest without overemphasizing it like many of her fan arts did. "Thank you. Let's go. I made Lúcio promise to save me a dance!"

"He is the star of the show," Jack frowned, only causing the gamer to laugh.

"And he's known for indulging his fans generously. For his friends, he'd definitely dance with me. Unless, you want him to give you a special kind of dance," she winked at the old soldier.

"And you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Jack retorted grumpily.

"Closest thing to a mother is a clan leader in a few of my games," the Korean replied without missing a beat. "Now, pile into the car and let's go!"

While Lúcio and D. Va had been blissfully unaware that Gabriel and Sally planned to slip away that night, they had taken measures that they piled anything they had gathered into the Tesla quietly and made sure to lock it so that the curious, youthful new Overwatch recruits would not snoop inside. Thankfully, D. Va had arranged for her agent to send over a limo. "This is too flashy," Morrison groaned as he made sure to be the last to enter.

"Blame the girl," Reyes grunted as he was the first to enter. Sally followed, sitting next to him on his right. That way, if necessary, he could pull her Desert Eagle if he was unable to materialize a shotgun fast enough.

The Korean celebrity practically jumped in next followed by Genji. Finally, the gruff former commander allowed himself to enter once he grabbed his rifle. "Uh Dad. I don't think you can take that inside."

"Sally has a pistol," he pointed out.

"Which isn't a big ass rifle," Gabriel sighed.

"Where's your guns?" Jack tried to redirect the conversation.

"I can regenerate them, somehow." He let the dark, wispy shadows dance around his hands before forcing it to dissipate. "Don't know why. I don't doubt that Sally will try to figure it out."

"It could be tied to your condition. Which means the guns are now organic. The implications," Sally began with a gleam in her eye. "You and your weapons would be tied in same, vicious cycle of life and death."

"The first and only time you could say a gun is the victim," Gabriel sighed as the topic began to depress even him. "Fine. Take your gun. But keep the safety on and make sure no concert goers trigger it. That'd be an effective way to shoot Overwatch to the ground."

"I'm not an amatuer," the soldier scowled. The limo had stopped, causing him to become instantly alert. "Let's go. I'm taking point."

"Feels weird not doing it..." D. Va hummed as Genji slid out of the limo.

"You aren't piloting a MEKA to a concert," the ninja chortled as he reached a hand towards the Korean to help her out. "As much as the Korean government would appreciate the publicity..."

"My agent was gushing at the positive publicity enough," D. Va winked towards a scowling Sally. "This public appearance will be good for you."

"I disliked this part of having status," the doctor groaned as she scooted out of the limo. She heard a few whistles as her leg flashed, causing her to roll her eyes. "Don't glare at them, Gabriel. They aren't going near me."

"Or I'd rip their souls out," the mercenary scowled as he put his arm around her. She leaned into his body slightly, causing him to relax slightly. _Her aggressive tendencies are scaled back slightly. That's good. I might be homicidal but I can control it at least. I need to figure out what's going on with... what the?_

The minute they stepped inside the club where Lúcio was holding the concert, they all had different reactions. Hana Song had scrambled to the VIP section happily, already humming along to the opening act's music. Genji followed closely behind her, keeping abhorrent fanboys at bay with his appearance and protective stance. Soldier: 76 stood in the middle of the club like a lost puppy until he turned back and saw Sally glancing around curiously while Gabriel looked utterly reluctant to be inside. "Help," the white haired man mouthed to his two former comrades.

The couple chuckled as both of them moved to either side of the soldier and looped their arms with his. "Let's go, cradle robber. All of Lúcio's fans are eyeing you up. Even more so if they heard about..."

"Gabe. Finish that sentence and you'll be eating the butt of my rifle."

"Is that what you call it now?" Sally questioned with a smirk, causing both men to huff in annoyance and move away from each other. "Let's enjoy the night, gentlemen. Lúcio puts his all into his performances and we should support him. It's only fair."

"We wouldn't want Jack to embarrass himself I suppose," Gabriel shrugged. "It could be worse. If Ana was here, she would be relentless."

Sally flinched slightly at the mention. "She would be," she quietly agreed.

"Gabriel, Ana is rejoining Overwatch. She is unaware of your... allegiance however. Until we inform her..."

"Considering last time she saw me, she paled enough to almost look like Jack's mother..."

"Why would she do that?" Sally asked sharply. "If I recall, before the explosion, the three of you more or less, got along."

"Apparently, Gabe's face was a bit... Disfigured."

A tilt of the medic's head later and both men shivered at the withering glare. "How bad?"

"This was after another mission I had. I was in an explosion severe enough that my cheek hadn't fully healed. It was a bit raw. Some of my teeth were exposed too. I did not have the chance to consume any souls to speed up the healing."

"How long ago?" the cold tone of the medic was positively murderous.

"Probably a week after I made initial contact with you," the mercenary admitted carefully. He was not sure if her protective behavior or the recent aggressive one would shine through first.

Unfortunately for him, they blended together very well. "I remember telling you that if you needed to recuperate, you were welcome to..."

"I know," he cut off her. "Things were different though. I wasn't separate from Talon yet. And despite not always having the best intentions, I wasn't going to subject you to that. Besides, I was in shock enough at finding out Ana was alive!"

"Stubborn bastard," she frowned. "Both of you."

"I was staying out of it," Jack held his hands up. "So, should we get some drinks so we can tolerate this music?"

"You act like it's bad?" Sally snickered as she waved the pale man towards the bar. "You know what we like. We'll snag a table."

The VIP area of the club had several tables as well as its own dance floor and bar. Despite Lúcio not really liking the VIP system, he made sure that the proceeds for any VIP tickets would go to charities. Sally and Gabriel found a quiet table near the corner that still gave a good view of the stage. "He knows we're leaving, doesn't he?" Sally asked quietly when Gabriel pulled out the chair for her. She gave him an appreciative peck at his display of chivalry.

"Yeah. As much shit as I give Jack, he does notice things," the mercenary admitted as she slumped into his own seat. "We got everything worthwhile packed away. Hopefully, by the time the youths notice, we'll be halfway to Dorado."

"I've always wanted to visit there," she hummed wistfully. "I just got shipped back and forth between Gibraltar and Zürich."

"It would be a nice vacation from all this bullshit," Gabriel admitted before giving an approving nod as Jack approached the table with their drinks. "Got some good shit?"

"You're such a snob," Jack rolled his eyes. "Of course I did."

Sally snickered as she sipped from her glass. "So, are you going to be our distraction if their attention wavers from Lúcio?"

The former Overwatch leader rolled his eyes. "Or you two could say bye like a normal couple."

"Where's the fun in that, Jack?" Gabriel smirked. "As if Overwatch did anything standard like that."

"Apparently. When the top three in the organization are _dead_ , it makes you wonder."

"Being dead would have been a treat compared to the aftermath," Gabriel pointed out. "I shudder to imagine what it would have been like without the SEP."

Sally looked down and frowned. "Mercy wanted to save you so badly but ignored some of the primary things that as doctors and medics... Why would she try to... Gabriel. Was there something going on?"

"If you remember, Angela was close friends with Ana and had lost her just prior to the..." Jack looked at Gabriel and frowned. "In case I ever forget to... I'm sorry, Gabe."

The mercenary grunted and rubbed at his forehead. "I don't want to apologize... but fuck. Everything went to hell and all I kept seeing was the UN proudly showing you off. It just made me lose sight of what Overwatch was made for. I..."

"You don't need to apologize," Jack began but was cut off by the proud man slamming his hands on the table.

"You don't tell me what I can and can't do," he growled. "I'll make it up to you somehow. Just..." He sighed. "Angela looked up to Ana. You likely knew that, Sally."

"I remember," the medic bit her lip nervously. "Especially when they were collaborating with Torbjörn for Ana's rifle. Mercy was so starstruck."

"She had just lost one friend and saw the other two best friends of Ana's fighting... Overwatch was more fractured than ever. Infighting was spilling over even in Medwatch, no?" Jack asked Sally.

"It was so bad that Mercy had me set up a temporary infirmary on the other side of the base because scuffles kept breaking out. And... they tried to make the doctors take sides," Sally admitted, causing Gabriel to shuffle uncomfortably. "I guess I understand now though."

"I'm glad. I don't like talking about..." Jack paused as he was glancing up towards the stage when he saw a dark haired woman in a blue dress motion towards Lúcio. His jaw locked as he saw how close the two were, causing Gabriel and Sally to look at each other with concern.

When Satya decided to use her Vishkar connections to get into a concert, she never thought it would be to come into contact with one of their enemies but here she was. The dress she wore highly resembled her outfit that she donned as Symmetra but she went without her glove, weapon or visor. She knew she had garnered many appreciative looks when she walked into the club and even intentionally added an additional sway to the fluid, almost dancer like motion she strode forward with. As much as she despised how easily some could be led astray, especially by the flashing of skin, it was a useful tool. And Symmetra loved being well versed in using any tool. "Lúcio Correia dos Santos," she said fluidly as she pushed towards the stage and the DJ. She had no problem giving her voice a commanding quality and making it heard through the loud music that he was prepping on the stage.

The DJ was confused at hearing a feminine voice call his name until he looked down at the woman. Recognition clicked immediately. "You caused favelas to be destroyed."

"I did not engineering their destruction," the woman protested hotly. "And I am no longer associated with Vishkar. Their methods... seem to cause more chaos than the order it brings."

"I could have told you that," Lúcio crossed his arms. "So, what brings you here?"

"To apologize. And to ask if that young girl I saved... Is she alright? Does she require medical assistance?"

"Júlia is just fine," Lúcio said skeptically. "Why do you care?"

"She's a good kid," Symmetra stated sharply. "And if you ever require anything, I place myself at your disposal."

This caused the Brazilian's eyebrow to raise. "Anything?" he attempted to clarify.

"Did I stutter?" Satya shot back hotly. Internally though, her insides were churning. _Did I misspeak? Were my words unclear?_

"Then, go with the flow," Lúcio said confidently as he pulled the Architech towards him. She was relieved, seeing he was not angry. "And I'm sorry in advance."

"For?" She started to ask but he pressed his lips towards hers, gently but with a commanding pressure. Satya felt the crowd seem to fade away as she felt the touch and warmth. _Why not? This is a party, yes?_ Her eyes slid shut and she opened her mouth as Lúcio's tongue gently touched her lips, as if asking permission.

Symmetra did not realize however that Lúcio's attention went from her to the table housing the three former Overwatch agents. Jack's hands were bone pale as he broke the glass in his hand. Sally's hissed slightly as she saw the glass shards cut into his flesh but the former commander did not let her try to look over his hand as he stood up. "Jack. I need to look at your..." Sally began but the man huffed and stomped off. Thankfully, Genji and Hana noticed the sour look on the old man and both went over to pursue him. Sally was about to join when Gabriel held her back. "What about..."

"As loathe as I am to use Jack... And don't give me that look, woman. This is the perfect time for us to leave," Gabriel pointed out. "They are all distracted and by the time the dust from this shit settles, we'll be in Dorado."

Sally gave Jack, who was forcibly seated between Genji and D. Va but ignoring both, a tentative look before nodding. "Alright. I guess."

"Caribbean waters, mi reina. Just the thing for a vacation. And Jack won't do anything too stupid. The little frog may have stepped out of line somewhat but at the same time... do you think Jack defined what they are?"

Sally gave Gabriel a firm look. "You're looking at his last ex-whatever, remember?"

The mercenary groaned. "Point taken. Well... Fuck, I almost want to stay to see the drama but we should move." He held out his hand for her and she bit her lip before reaching for him. "Hopefully a vacation away from this place clears out that negative energy in your heart."

"You sound like Genji," she snickered, causing Gabriel to groan.

"I can't tell if that is a compliment or not," the mercenary quipped. "This was definitely a party to remember."


	13. Shimada on the Seashore

Putting down the cell phone was the easiest task in the world when he was confronted with such a beautiful view. Especially when the person trying to reach out to him was proving to be the peskiest little brother one could ask for. Hanzo Shimada massaged his forehead as he surveyed the landscape before him. As beautiful and picturquese Dorado could be, he could not deny the stench that his family had, even if it was indirect.

The gang members had disgusted him, how they preyed on the weak and even beat down on rusting Omnics. His fists clenched without even realizing it. "They lack honor," he muttered with scorn as he witnessed a couple children trying to tend to an almost broken Omnic. He understood why the country had such an utter dislike of Omnics after they basically destroyed Mexico but anyone, even children, seen helping were the target of Los Muertos. He readied his bow as he saw a group approach a couple young girls trying to clean off the excess oil of a victimized Omnic. "You will die," he pronounced as he nocked an arrow.

A bright flash and a couple of lightning fast gunshots however put down the thugs. Rubbing his eyes, Hanzo's eyebrow rose as he saw how clean the shots were. Even the entry wound looked cauterized. "Are you two alright?" A clear female voice asked with concern.

Hanzo witnessed a brown haired women walk over to them and blinked in confusion. _She doesn't look native. American, perhaps?_ His eyes immediately tried to seek a weakness as he looked at her clothing. The gun was immediately holstered to her right leg before she dared to approach the children. He frowned slightly at seeing her in a long skirt and jacket. Despite the skirt not being tight and restrictive, he would not have cared if he could spot any body armor on the women but from what his eyes could tell, there was none.

"Si... Lo siento, señorita." Both of the girls looked ashamed and flustered at being helpless.

"¿Por favor, sus casas?"

The girls scampered off after hugging the mystery woman's legs and Hanzo could not help the approving nod he gave. His hackles were raised however when her eyes suddenly looked towards the roof he was on and locked with his. He gave a defiant stare but was unable to move away, even when he felt dark wisps swirl nearby and a pair of shotguns manifest near his head. Training kept him from flinching or becoming startled. "An observer... How quaint," the voice hissed darkly. "Were you going to intervene? Or stand there with a stick up your ass?"

"Such vulgarity. What is it to you, stranger?" He finally got an eye on the man with the guns and was taken aback by the unusual appearance. He was slightly tanned but the way his skin's veins seemed to be prominent implied he had been recently very pale. The coloration of the veins themselves almost seemed black against his skin but what stood out even further was the man's firm aura. Shimada have always been able to see additional things when looking at people such as the type of person they are but he had never seen anyone with such an unusual aura. Differing colors were normal but a dark gray aura with a lighter gray inner was interesting. Especially with that lighter gray seemed to be protected by a hair thin white outline. The dark grays almost seemed like it was bleeding. Blinking his eyes, he noticed it was a very dark red spotting along the aura. "Must you point that gun at me so? You must be an American. I heard they favor overly large weapons."

"Cocky. Like how I've heard," Reaper hissed. He hated not having the mask. It made carefully assessing his foes easier as he could let his eyes rove without stirring suspicion. "Why are you watching her so carefully?"

_He's protective of her. A weakness in him..._ "A woman in a skirt with a gun is quite unusual here. Anyone helping an Omnic..." Both men watched as Sally gently was stroking the Omnic's metal finish. Gabriel knew however she would likely be assisting with a boost of electricity to the artificial lifeform. Thankfully, her back was towards the duo and such, Hanzo did not glimpse her powers. He however was startled at her aura. There was a sharp, almost bright orange at the core of her being. Yellow surged abundantly yet harmoniously through the red in a cooperative manner. The dark green was somewhat prominent but he noticed parts of that were fading. The outlines of the auras seemed silverish and that made him squint more towards her. The silver was masking another color. Or rather, two. Black and white auras were pulsing within, causing the balance in the woman to surge with great turmoil. "Truly a mystery."

Gabriel frowned as he watched Hanzo examine his woman with a critical eye. "She'll be up here in a second," the mercenary muttered but he did not lower his shotgun. "I suggest stowing the arrogant air. We're on vacation after all."

"A second is a bit..." Hanzo sneered but he watched as the woman crouched down and shot upwards towards the roof. She wheezed slightly as she had barely been able to push herself far enough up with power and rolled. "...I stand corrected."

"You were right, Gabriel. I'm overthinking it. I only calculated enough to get me up but not a comfortable height. If only I went by instinct instead..." She paused as she smiled warmly at Hanzo. "Kon'nichiwa, Hanzo-san. Genki desu ka?"

He was slightly surprised at the easy Japanese. There was a slight accent but it was leagues better than what many foreigners had tried. "Genki desu. Who are you two? And how do you know my name?"

"We are acquainted with your brother, Genji," Sally explained politely. "He has mentioned you and even showed us a photograph. You did have admittedly longer hair however."

The man subconsciously touched his short hair. "Genji has only been with the group called Overwatch lately... other than Omnic monks. And you two are neither Omnic or monk-like."

"We were formerly associated with Overwatch," Gabriel cut in, eager to not be seen as still in the group. "We are however, on speaking terms with your brother."

"Speaking terms?" Hanzo frowned at the wording. "Is my brother being insufferable?"

"Genji is being Genji," Sally explained with a half shrug.

"So that is a yes," Hanzo smirked as he rolled his shoulders. "It seems he is well. I haven't been answering his messages in regards to joining Overwatch. I wish to enjoy what he calls 'down-time'. And unintentionally, I have discovered that the thugs were founded by the Shimada clan. However... they are not noble like Yakuza."

"Yakuza... noble?" Gabriel scoffed. He held in the grunt when Sally elbowed his side in warning. "What?"

"They do at times discreetly and not so discreetly help the government in times of crisis. During tsunamis, they often use their own money and donate food as well as aid to people in need. Even during the Omnic Crisis, as you should know..."

"So, Genji really wasn't lying," Gabriel gave a low whistle. "I always assumed he was trying to paint a prettier picture of his lineage to avoid judgement."

"Why would people judge my brother?" Hanzo demanded harshly. "Fool as he may be, he is still a Shimada."

"Shimada or not, he is still human. They judge him for being a cyborg," Sally retorted harshly. She noted Hanzo's frown and guilty gleam in his eyes but continued. "And they judge him for forgiving you for basically killing him."

"I don't want his forgiveness," Hanzo sneered. "I told him to kill me."

"And he didn't because he believed you could do better elsewhere," Gabriel said quietly as he touched Sally's shoulder. "He believes in redemption."

"He isn't the only one," she said softly as she leaned into his touch. Gradually, the mercenary opened his arms for her to nestle in but Hanzo saw her eyes sharpen upon him. "So, going to clean up Los Muertos?"

"I have been responsible for some of it or rather my family has," the archer admitted quietly. "I strike discreetly. I wish not to draw attention to myself."

"Discretion and subtlety has its uses," Gabriel mused. "But against such scum... I wouldn't spare them. I see no talent. I see no purpose. Just meaningless death."

"I've heard of a mercenary who took the motif of a skull as his own calling card. Killed many agents. Overwatch agents. Hailed as heroes. My brother was one of them. He could have been killed by this mercenary."

Sally did not protest when Gabriel held her tighter. "Your point?" he grunted harshly as he tried to rub her arms in an attempt to keep her calm.

"I will not judge by the deaths dealt." The Japanese man's accent was smooth and did not betray any emotion. "But simply put, these men will die by the hands of a superior foe." He then glanced towards the barely there control that Sally was displaying within Gabriel's arms. "At least there is a great deal for us to share," the archer said simply. "And your woman will stay safe."

"This woman has a name," Sally huffed. "I'm surprised that one formerly as connected as you, Hanzo-san, are unaware."

"Unaware or merely better at, how do Americans say it, holding my cards to my chest?" He then motioned to the mercenary. "And word has it, you died long ago, Blackwatch-san."

"I was your brother's commander for a spell," Gabriel muttered as he gave the man a hard look. "He talked about you but I didn't realize..."

"You're a dangerous man," Sally interrupted. "Almost... like a demon even."

The smirk that played across his features vanished in an instant as Hanzo fought it down. "Possibly. But that is neither here nor there." He slung his bow across his back. "There is no foe here, so I see no need to linger. Sayonara, former Overwatch agents. May I never see you across my bow's sight"

The man dug into the sack he carried near his sake and dropped a few pellets. With a puff of smoke, the archer was gone. Sally gave a low whistle. "Gabriel. Can you do that with your..."

"Shadow Step," he reminded with a scowl. "I'm not making it flashy for your amusement."

"No fun," she chuckled as she gave the man a brief kiss. "Are you going to respond to Genji's text?"

"I should," he rolled his eyes as he shot off a message to the ninja.

Everyone's favorite cyborg ninja perked slightly as he tapped his head. He perused the message and snickered slightly. _I knew Hanzo was just being stubborn. To think, that duo found him... At least they didn't kill him. Possibly, she is no longer under the influence of the gas... Or..._ He paused as he glanced as his companions.

Tracer was chirping happily towards D. Va, both young women bonding over video games with an infectious enthusiasm. Soldier: 76 was sitting next to Lúcio but the younger man was slumped against the older one's shoulder, snoring away. While slightly disgruntled looking, he stayed still and allowed the young musician his rest. "What are you looking at?" he scowled towards Genji, keeping his voice low in order to not bother Lúcio.

"Nothing. Just laughing how the young one is teaching an old dog new tricks," the ninja teased playfully with a smirk that no one could see. "Whatever happened to the young woman he was kissing?"

"I think she slipped him her number," Hana pitched in. "She looked so confused about the kiss too. As if it was her first one or whatever. Maybe Lúcio is just that good." The Korean had a thoughtful look before smirking. "Mind if I borrow him, Dad? I got to conduct an experiment."

"A vid of you two snogging would get instant hits," Lena chuckled. "It would be the best way to recruit in Overwatch, ever. Even better than Reinhardt's old poster."

"His hair was amazing though," Lena said with a wistful sigh. "You remember Fareeha swooning over it?"

"The young lady fainted when she met the real thing too," Genji snickered. "Especially with how affectionate Reinhardt tends to be." He glanced towards the still sleeping Lúcio. "He must have partied especially hard. When we finally left, it was well past 2am."

"I am aware of that," Soldier: 76 hissed through gritted teeth. It was taking a lot of effort to not yell at the lot of them for the teasing. "He arrived back at the suite at 7am. Seeing as we departed two hours later, he hasn't exactly gotten much sleep."

"Lucky for us, Gabe called in a contact with a private airstrip I could land at," Lena added. "Otherwise, you guys would have had to leave earlier to get to the plane or we'd arrive even later."

A few moments of chatter took the heat off of the Soldier long enough for him to breathe a sigh of relief. Glancing around at the newest girl to the team, he noticed the Korean was frustrated. "What's wrong, Hana?"

"This skull logo thing... It keeps showing up on my laptop," she muttered as she held it up. The wallpaper was a selfie of herself with the MEKA but there was a distinct watermark of a digital looking skull. "I didn't catch it at first because the laptop didn't go any slower. If anything... It's getting faster. Only reason I was able to catch the slight watermarking of the skull is because of some of the computer defense software I got from the government. If I hover my cursor on it, it vanishes but sure enough, comes back. I don't have any really vital information but some of my specs about the MEKA is on here. And those file backgrounds have the watermark."

"Hana?" a sleepy voice sounded, slightly muffled by Soldier: 76's jacket. "Try checking which programs are running in the task manager."

She frowned but did as Lúcio recommended before gasping. "Damn. A couple programs were running and the minute I opened the manager, I saw it for a second, but those processes vanished. Damn it!" She set down her laptop and scowled. "The watermark is gone too. Completely. They could have wrecked my mobile gaming rig."

"Or recorded everything being said," the DJ muttered grimly. "This isn't good." He dug in his pants for a USB. "Plug this in."

The Korean does as the DJ recommends and shrieks on the realization that the USB's program wiped her computer. "What the...? Lúcio! This had so much of my gaming..."

"Hana. The information was likely being transmitted to someone. I could hear something a few minutes ago." The young man pointed towards his ears. "It was high pitched and staticy but still there. Jack," he called towards the gruff soldier. Despite the dislike of being referred by his real name in the face of the newbies, he raised his eyebrow. "Did you hear something weird earlier?"

"Come to think of it... I did. I thought it was an odd sound being outputted by my visor." He removed it to examine the gear. He did not realize how fixated Lúcio had become on his exposed face nor the adoring looks from the females around them. "But yeah. That sound is gone now. So... Who was trying to get what information from us?"

Meanwhile, Sombra cursed as the information she was trying to decipher was abruptly cut off. "Dios mio." She tapped the air in front of her with a frown. _Nothing should have disrupted it. The tracking virus I put on that laptop wouldn't have been interrupted by being airborne, especially since Overwatch has wifi on their aircraft..._

Earlier, she was able to partially tap some audio from the Korean's MEKA but the sounds of fighting made it difficult to hear unless she went out of her way to eliminate the background noises of explosions and gunshots. She stroked her chin irritation. She had on occasion piggybacked on D. Va's internet hotspot she continuously had while she was on a mission to obtain information about Korean technology so she knew the gamer was not the one who exposed her tracking. She glanced at the document and information she complied about the attack on the Talon payload in Hollywood. The combatants were all listed with their statistics that Sombra had pulled afterwards. She glanced at the top of the list. "Soldier: 76..." she murmured before flicking her wrist, pulling up the next file. _He's not a complete idiot like what Reaper exaggerated him to be. I wonder if he was protecting his former friend from Talon by making him seem not as competent. Nonetheless, no way he could defend against my programs however._

She also dismissed Reaper's portrait that pulled up his stats. _And Reaper didn't care for computers. Good enough on his own, but not to my skill level. If only we weren't apparently on opposing sides, amigo._

A picture of a cybernetic ninja popped up and Sombra looked at him with a wide grin. She had embraced the lack of humanity that her cybernetic implants had given her wholeheartedly and it made her appreciate the beauty of his artificial form. _He was regarded as a gamer in his youth but disliked the family business..._ Her fingertips tapped air for a moment as she mentally calculated. _But he was Blackwatch and Reaper did send him on a lot of infiltration before._ She slid him into a 'Maybe' folder then pulled up the next face.

She quickly slid D. Va's face away and Sally's appeared. Sombra hummed as she looked at the medic before smirking. A few taps in the air later saw a copy of the file being dropped into the 'Blackmail Material' folder. _She wasn't a slouch... Copies of what her mother had noted could suggest that Salvation would be intelligent enough to counter hack._

The last picture made her pause. The man's visage was pleasing and despite her fixation on Genji Shimada, she could not deny that Lúcio Correia dos Santos was very easy on the eyes. She glanced at his enhancements on his hands that were supposedly removable but they bore the signs of extensive use. She had at times also pirated his music and enjoyed it. It almost felt there was a hidden message to it that she would enjoy cracking. One of her own notes made her smile as she noted how despite his easy going persona, he did manage to steal, modify and employ technology from Vishkar. While Talon and Vishkar at times did have an understanding, it was still an impressive feat and Sombra did not always do things with Talon's best interest in mind. _You... Mi objetivo._

With a grin, she opened up a voice line to her latest friend. "Hola, chica. I hope you have time for a friend."

Sally however had shuddered slightly. She felt twitchy for the last few hours, as if someone had been thinking about her in a calculating manner. "Gabriel..."

The mercenary glanced up from the bag of chicharron he was nibbling. "Sally? ¿Qué pasa?"

"I just feel so..." Her hands twitched slightly and she had to restrain herself from charging any electricity through her body. While growing up as a teen made it easy to restrain, when she hit adulthood, she was not used to having to restrain the exacting power so much and it made her agitated. Knowing that it stirred her to an aggressive mood however made her stay her hand. "Something's wrong."

"That sinking feeling in your stomach? Like a stone, weighing on your soul?" He crunched a piece of the dried food in his fingertips. "I barely remember going without that feeling anymore. At one time, I was free of that. Maybe I was a kid. I don't even know anymore." He looked sadly at the bag of food. "When I was a kid, I ate these happily. Could walk to the vendor and hold up my money. Now, you can't go anywhere without a parent. Doors always were locked but you can't leave children by themselves. Then when the Omnics..." He frowned. "I didn't care for or against them at first. But the thing with Omnics... When they are made, they are mature. They know. They understand. They don't have the learning curve us organic beings do. Sally. Can you understand that?"

She felt a spark of annoyance and winced. Rubbing her head slightly did not make the headache go away. "I... I'm both, Gabriel. If anyone should know this, it would be..."

"Not you," he cut off gruffly. "Do you remember being... not human outside of dreams?" He watched her frown as she thought on it. "Exactly. Until then, we cannot truly understand them."

"I've met plenty of polite and nice Omnics," she scowled. "I've done lots of studies with them too. My powers influence them slightly." She glanced at her hands and sighed. Normally, she would have let a spark fly between her fingertips but when her and Gabriel realized utilizing the electricity was causing her emotions to become darker, they decided to avoid that until the effects of the gas passed. "I have a bad feeling."

"Me too." He sighed as he threw away the empty bag. "Going to Dorado wasn't supposed to be gloomy. I figured a few thugs you could take aggression out on... Beautiful beaches. Good food. It was supposed to be a vacation."

"You don't pick a location to reduce the crime rate for fun," Sally huffed slightly with an arched brow. "Please tell me all our dates won't be like this."

"I planned a nice excursion in Europe. You told me you liked classical architecture and wanted to see more castles... So I figured..."

"Gabriel, where the fuck is it?"

He looked shifty for a few seconds. "Near Stuttgart."

"Fuck. You're talking Eichenwalde," Sally swore slightly. "There is still a few active Bastion units there."

The mercenary frowned. "No there isn't. Jack and I were there personally. After the head of the Crusaders perished, we assisted Reinhardt to solidify his support for Overwatch. I personally put many shells into a fuck ton of Bastions."

"When I was being flown over the area to assist, I felt electrical waves in the air. Not the type from our electronics. Bastion units don't speak like modern Omnics. They can communicate not just through beeps but also through electricity. It was weak but there are some likely there. Older models also had solar cells set up in the head. Exposed to enough light and they could stay inactive for a while. Bastions were built to survive. You know that. I've treated god knows how many bullet wounds from them." She saw the curious look in his eyes and further explained. "It was after Gerard's wife was rescued and proclaimed safe. Because of that, Jack didn't listen to me when I told him I still felt activity on the battlefield."

The man rubbed at his shoulder slightly, causing Sally to wonder if he had any wounds there before dying and being regenerated. "We could postpone it I suppose. I didn't book the flight. Which brings me to something I've been meaning to talk to you about..."

"Yes?" Sally hummed slightly as she stared towards the beautiful sunset.

"Can you stop depositing money into my account? When I was _hired_ by you, the money was meant as a joke. Then we started becoming interested in each other and officially dated. But still, the money flows." He scowled slightly. "It can run out, you know."

"I wish," she said in a bored tone. "Between my parents' wills, I had a trust fund set up. They had a great many investments made. I have no other relatives as well. Gabriel, I'm beyond set up to the point I don't know what to do with the money. I figured you'd benefit from it." She shrugged afterwards when he growled. "Money has never been an issue. If I wanted, I could give a seminar or go to a conference and make some but it's never been something I worried about. I donate but interest from my family's investments..."

"I get the point," he cut off bluntly. "Will you stop the deposits at least?"

"No," she said just as firmly. "Just accept it. You're not impoverishing me by any means. If it eases your mind, just tell yourself it's what you deserved for getting fucked over by Overwatch. The amount being deposited weekly is the same that was donated to Overwatch before my parents' deaths."

"Dios mio," he swore as he rubbed his forehead. "So stubborn."

"Better than a lustful homicidal schizophrenic," she said softly. "I was actually debating letting Mercy look me over."

"I sense a but in there," Gabriel murmured as he reached for her hand.

She grasped it tightly. "She didn't catch Amelie being a Talon agent. She messed up bringing you back. No offense, but she shouldn't have even tried."

"None taken," he squeezed her hand. "I didn't want to come back. I died feeling regret that I lost my friendship to envy and rage. Living with it only soured those feelings further instead of just letting it die. All things considered, I'm glad to be alive with you at my side. But I should have died in Zürich. And Angela took that away from me."

"I'm sorry you suffered," she said solemnly. "But you're here and alive. I want to help you. I might not be able to protect you like you can me. But I'll do my damn hardest to try. That's why I'm not sure about going to Mercy. What if in trying to remove the effects of the gas, it messes up more?" She glanced at their joined hands sadly. "I'm already worried that my aggression doesn't even need electricity to be triggered anymore. I have to hold myself back enough as is. But at the same time, if I can't even control myself a little bit, I might kill her. Just saying her name makes me angry when I think about what she did to you. I... I need more time."

He gave her a peck on the forehead. "I'll find a place for you to recuperate. Hopefully, it will be without another Shimada brooding with a stick up his ass."

"Why Gabriel, it almost sounds like you miss Genji," Sally teased with a slight smile.

"I confirm nothing of the sort," he replied with a snort. His phone starting chirping in an annoying mariachi ringtone that caused him to frown. "That's... weird. Excuse me, mi reina."

"If you insist," she smiled. "I'll go look up a place we can eat at later." She grabbed a rope she had tied around her waist as an impromptu belt. Using it, she secured it on a pole at the top of the rope and started to rappel her way down. "See you soon, Gabriel."

"I'll catch up with you in a minute," he called but she already started engaging a few locals in Spanish. He shook his head with amusement until he glanced at the phone screen. He frowned seeing the skull motif decorating the call screen. "What?"

"Aren't we amigos?" a voice whined slightly on the other end. "You don't tell me nothing, anymore and Amelie is a boring bitch. Come on, Reaper. Throw a chica a bone here."

"What do you want, Sombra?" he hissed into the phone darkly, clutching it like he wanted to smash it in his hands.

"That's no way to treat your favorite professional hacker," she shot back with amusement.

"You're the only hacker I let live," he replied darkly. "Now, cut the bullshit. What the fuck do you want?"

"This isn't how friends talk and you know how I like to collect friends," she said evasively. "In fact, I'd like to make friends with that woman of yours. A former Talon agent herself. Pity Widowmaker broke the program that had all the data entries on Project Salvation. I thought for a moment she was becoming a competent hacker but to think she locked out a program. She's either playing me... or she broke it."

"Or someone simply outhacked you?" he suggested bluntly, only to receive a screeching protest.

"No one in this world is better than Sombra," she proclaimed, her accent becoming very pronounced. "Pinche viejo. I knew you were getting soft but to actually believe that!"

Reaper held the phone away from his ears for a few moments until she stopped protesting. "Are you done, mujer?"

"Cabrón," she protested with a whine. "So mean to me, Gabriel. Especially how with one button, I can spill all your activities to that woman of yours. Maybe it'll... _spark_ a reaction."

His blood ran colder than the Arctic. "Leave her out of this."

"But she's connected to Talon in so many ways," Sombra practically sang into the phone. "Maybe... I could hack her mind. I mean, if she's electricity..."

"Don't touch her," he hissed darkly. "Chica... What do you want?"

He could practically feel her smirk through the electronic device. "I haven't seen my favorite bandito in ages. Let's, how does Widowmaker say... rendezvous in St. Petersburg. I want to see some snow."

"You only have to look at your bitter, attention seeking heart to do that," Reaper grunted. "Fine. I'll meet you in Russia."

"I intend to meet the two of you."

"I must have misheard you. Two?"

"Sí, tu mujer," Sombra sneered. "I am most curious about her. After all, shouldn't you allow your friends to approve of your amor?"

"Friends? You don't know the concept," he shot back. "I think even Widowmaker has a better sense of the word."

"Such cruelty."

"One word: Volskaya." Sombra was quiet. A bit too quiet for the mercenary's liking. "It appears I hit a nerve. Care to explain, _chica_?"

"Just get your ass there with the woman in tow or I spill _everything._ Aidos." The call was disconnected, leaving him to stare at his phone in anger.

_How am I going to convince her to go to Russia? I wonder if she can speak Russian. This is a fuck up waiting to happen..._ Scowling, he Shadow Stepped towards the resort that they had booked lodging in. While Dorado had never been a premier destination, it did not stop resorts from popping up. He stealthily dodged the armed guards on the roof to slink towards their suite. "Sally?"

"Kitchen," she called back faintly.

He sniffed the air and smiled at the smell of carne asada filling the suite. The spices she must have bought while he was occupied were noticeable as he walked in the room. "Have you been enjoying the trip here?"

She shrugged. "It's okay I guess. Not really much I'd want to see here on a vacation. I mean... The beach would be cool but I don't know how I'd react to others seeing you," she admitted as she chanced a glance at the mercenary.

"Would you really be jealous?" he asked curiously.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she said bluntly. "Despite how you see yourself, many would consider you a catch, so to speak."

"Then those fools don't know me," he hissed darkly.  
"Don't put yourself down, Gabriel. It's unbecoming," she scolded as she wielded a spatula sharply pointed towards him. "Besides... In my volatile state, being around that much water is a bad idea. And all the minerals in it would conduct electricity way too easily if I became... aggressive."

"Good plan," he admitted as he reached towards a plate she had on offer. "So, nothing you really want to see in Dorado?"

"Like what? LumériCo? Professionally, it'd be cool but I'd rather not bore you with that. As cool as it was that you accompanied me to my conferences at the convention... I could tell you were bored. And I'm okay with that. It'd be silly to expect us to have the same exact interests and that," she shrugged as she placed some rice on her plate. She sat down with her food and glanced towards him. "Gabriel, do you need to do something elsewhere? I'll go with you. You did accompany me through all the crazy shit happening."

He almost choked on his food at the realization she gave him the perfect opening. "Something came up. In Russia. I'm not too familiar with the area though. Only been by a few times. A good deal of people speak English but yeah..."

"I can't speak Russian," she shrugged. "But I have a couple professional contacts there. They can give recommendations for a place to stay and such." She paused to eat some of the rice and sighed. "Something bad happened?"

"When I have to do something, it's not always because of something bad," he scowled but he felt terrible on the inside. _Damn it. I don't want her caught up in whatever bullshit Sombra is planning. And we never figured what she's playing at with that Volskaya woman._ "Do you know anyone in St. Petersburg?"

"Yes," she said simply as she reached for her phone. "How long do we need to be there?"

"A week tops. Might need to leave afterwards. Don't know," he shrugged. _The sooner I see the back of Sombra's ugly haircut, the better._

"Okay. I'll make arrangements," she tapped on her phone an email and sent it out. "After we eat, we can book an airline? Sound good?"

"Alright, mi reina." He gave her a peck on the check and she smiled as she closed the application.

"Gabriel. You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders," she said softly. "I'm here for you." She nuzzled his neck. "So, we're going to Russia then?"

Meanwhile, Hanzo tapped his bow impatiently as he waited at a food stand for the two men he contracted. They came well recommended in the underground but even then, he was skeptical. He was dressed up well in a suit that emphasized his upbringing but all the same, had a sword at his hip and his bow on his back. Thankfully he did not have to wait long before hearing an uneven stride followed by a pair of heavy steps. Looking up, he saw a lanky figure slightly hunched over. The man's bare chest was loaded with what looked like bombs. He was talking lowly and so animatedly that it reminded Hanzo of a rat. The other man was massive, hulking even. His face was obscured however and he could only go off of the man's nonverbal actions as an indicator of how he would react. "I hear you two are professionals," Hanzo spoke clearly.

"Hopefully professional enough for you, fancy suit," Junkrat sneered as he stood up prominently. Despite his fake leg, he stood far taller than Hanzo. "Last one we worked with tried to double cross us, he did. But we got the last laugh, isn't that right, Roadie?"

The man grunted in response. Hanzo raised an eyebrow slightly but merely pulled out a contract. "Iron clad. Shimada stick to their words but this should reassure you. I want this stain on my family's honor eliminated from this country. It must be gone before I can move into redemption."

"How?" Roadhog grunted from behind his mask.

"You likely heard, the 2nd Omnic Crisis is on it's way. But this time, the Omnics aren't the villains." The words made both Australians tense.

"I don't like them tin cans much. Neither does Roadie." Junkrat sneered darkly. "You better not be trying to make me a hero. Sucks not being able to blow up these scrap heaps."

"Eliminate Los Muertos. That is your mission. I will take care of the rest," Hanzo assured both men. "It will pay well. If you do this without hurting innocents or Omnics, I will double your pay."

Junkrat whistled in approval while Roadhog shrugged his agreement. "That's a lot of money to throw around on a couple junkers. You got the force to back your words?"

The dragons along Hanzo's shoulders flared brightly, forcing blue light through the man's suit. "In a sense." He took a sip of his drink and motioned towards the contract. "I wish to enjoy this landscape without the filth of gang warfare that is my family's fault. I want this country clean, even if it just eases my mind. They are without honor."

"We'll do it," Junkrat muttered as he scratched his signature along the contract. "And if this contract goes well, you might be able to sign us up for whatever you do next?" He began to reach for his drink as if to propose a toast.

"Even Overwatch?" Hanzo asked wryly, causing Roadhog to choke on the mixture he was drinking. Junkrat's head twitched animatedly to the side in interest.

"And they said I'd never amount to anything," the smaller junker threw back his head and laughed with amusement while Roadhog sighed.


	14. Russian Hospitality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ended up splitting the chapter due to length

Gabriel winced as he took in Sally's displeased expression. "Who would have thought you'd be so right about yourself and I even tried to defend you... You are a monster, Reaper," she hissed as she turned away from him. Her hair quickly swished, whacking him in the face as he did not bother to dodge it. "And to think what you did to my mother..."

His blood ran cold. "Sally, I'm so..."

"I don't want to hear it," she sneered. "I'm going to call Lúcio up. He'll know what I need. Both of them will."

Gabriel's hands felt heavy as he tried to reach for her only to grasp onto thin air. His eyes opened blearily and he blinked a few times to shake off the sleepiness. _Oh fuck. That was just a dream. Just a really shitty dream..._ He looked towards the empty portion of the bed and groaned as he pushed himself off of it. _She didn't seem tired when she laid down so she should be around somewhere._ He trudged through the suite and glanced out the large window. Despite having been around the world, he still was not the largest fan of snow. Whether that was a product of growing up in southern California or just personal preference, he shivered at the cold that the fluffy flakes promised. His ears perked when he heard a few keys tapping in a different room. _Ah. Must be doing emails._

When he walked into the office, he was surprised at what was in front of him. Sally had her hair done up in a very complicated and sophisticated hairstyle that made the mercenary just want to pull it into blissful disarray. The outfit she wore was stylish but proper, hinting at everything but revealing nothing. "I'll need to take a quick break but I promise, I'll be back," the brunette winked at the webcam she had set up on top of her laptop before tapping a few buttons, turning off the stream temporarily. Her warm smile helped ease the anxiety that Gabriel was starting to build from his nightmare. "Gabriel," she strode over to him happily and gave him a tight embrace. "You looked so peaceful that I didn't want to bother you."

_What was I dreaming about before that nightmare? I wish I could remember._ "I hope you slept well. You barely got any in Dorado and on the flight, I don't think you slept either."

The medic shrugged. "I feel too energized. I'm not able to really use much of my power with that aggression threatening to set in... So it just sits in me and keeps me going. It's bothersome."

"If it doesn't get better, we have to try Angela. We have to try something," he grunted as he began to nuzzle her neck affectionately. "I... She might have made mistakes but it seems like she's the best bet we got."

Sally clenched her fists slightly before taking a deep breath and releasing her grasp. "I'll give her a chance then..." She waved her hand towards her computer, eager to dismiss the subject. "Hana gave me this idea to address... anyone interested in my condition." The phrasing made the mercenary worry slightly. "So far, positive results. Anyone who says anything somewhat negative has been quickly shut down by those who are..." She paused and chewed her bottom lip slightly. "They are calling me a hero, Gabriel. I... What did I do?"

He could not help but laugh at her genuinely perplexed expression. "For someone so sharp, you're so oblivious right now. It's adorable."

"I'm not adorable," she huffed in annoyance. "I know I stopped that sniper but..."

"Mi reina, you know how many shootings there were in the 2000's..." He cleared his throat slightly. "I'm aware... I did a few studies on them." She fidgeted slightly in discomfort. "I forget how much of a scar it left on society... Especially the Americans."

"And that's where your... unveiling happened. And with how much of a craze it appears you are on social media..." He cleared his throat and pointed towards the computer where loads of beeps and chimes were sounding. "Sounds like you got subscribers."

"It's bizarre," she shook her head. "Let me wrap up the stream then. I..." She paused slightly. "Do... do you want them to see you or is it too much of a fuck you to Talon?"

"I basically already did that so many times over. Then with Hollywood... I'd be worried as fuck if they ever tried to welcome me back to the organization. You however... We are out and about together but right now, don't put us in front of your fans."

"I don't have fans," she sputtered in embarrassment.

He snickered. "Those rapid fire chats say otherwise. Now go on to your adoring public." Gabriel felt better knowing that he did not feel any jealousy or resentment. Merely relief. "I don't want to cause any issues for you."

She looked slightly worried but when he ruffled her hair, the medic huffed and turned towards the computer. She noted Gabriel had stalked over towards the little kitchen, out of view of the webcam. "Hey viewers! I'm getting ready to resume my vacation so I got time for one more question," she said softly. Happy pings greeted her words. "And the question is... Do I have a boyfriend?" She smiled softly. Her physical action drawing even more happy chatter. "Yes. I do," she felt her eyes close in relief and happiness. "For now, that is all but I'll see you lot later," she promised as she closed the stream.

Gabriel watched her smile from the kitchen and felt the ache in his heart from the dream ease away. He sipped the coffee and winced at the bitterness until he dipped a sugar cookie inside. "Room service brought some American style cookies," he called out with a laugh.

"Oh? I was expecting a traditional Russian breakfast," she admitted as she walked over. She bypassed the sugar cookies and went for the peanut butter & chocolate chip. "I guess I can't complain. So... how to spend the day? Playing tourist?" she asks hopefully but an annoying mariachi ringtone cut into their conversation. She stifled a giggle and smirked. "I'll go make some actual breakfast and not just some sweets. I'll call in a favor and see if we get a tour or something."

Gabriel waited until she trotted out of the room before answering the call. "What?" he ground out sharply into the receiver.

"Oh Gabriel, such melodramatics! This isn't a telenovela," the cheeky woman chuckled through the phone. "And I saw you are in St. Petersburg just as expected. Your woman's livestream though was rather..."

"Leave her out of this," Gabriel hissed darkly. "Or I'll murder you."

"I've been around you long enough to not worry about threats of death, _Reaper,_ " she replied mockingly. "You can't kill me without killing the internet."

He frowned, filing away the thought for later perusal. "I didn't say I'd just kill you. I'll murder you for trying to bring her into this. Why do you care about her?"

"Salvation. The agent that disappeared from Talon but is still feared within the ranks. Who wouldn't care?" she asked back. He did not see it but her grip was tightening on her phone in eager anticipation. "The annoying lack of information is disturbing and dearest Amelie isn't disclosing a thing. Dios mío, to think the woman irreparably crashed a possible datamine of information on a powerful agent is rather frustrating. You know how that is, don't you Gabe?" she sneered. "If you want your woman to live, you'll meet me at..."

"She'll kill you," Gabriel warned quietly. "She has the potential to kill even more brutally than I could if all the Talon rumors are true. Are you willing to risk that just because you're such a god damn adrenaline junkie?"

"Is that concern from Reaper himself?" she chuckled. "I should be touched. Acting like a regular overprotective hermano if I do say so myself."

"Shut your mouth, Sombra. Or you'll be nothing than a vegetable. I'm warning you."

"Cute. But with a few button presses, I can turn the world against her. I can paint her as a villain. A freak show. An exploiter of the system rather than a freak accident."

"Such a hypocrite. You appear to know a bit more than you're letting on, eh chica," Reaper snarled. His eyes darkened as his mood grew murderous. "You are treading on dangerous ground. I will end you for pulling this shit."

"You're so much fun to banter with. You leaving Talon was a shame," Sombra sighed. "I'm texting you the meet up point. I guess I can make due without you bringing her but shit would go so much smoother if..."

"Cállate. Aidos," Gabriel grunted as he hung up the phone, cutting off her protests. He was tempted to crush the device in his hand when it buzzed with the coordinates and a sad face accompanying the message. Rolling his eyes at the Latina's childish nature, he memorized the message then deleted it. Sighing, he walked towards the kitchen where it looked like Sally was attempting to fry something. "Mi reina," he murmured softly as he came up behind her.

She jumped slightly as his arms snaked around her to embrace her. "Oh Gabriel," she chuckled when he began to nuzzle her neck. "I was worried I'd send this kolbasa through the ceiling. I had to stop trying to use electricity to sense my surroundings too. This really sucks. It makes me feel like I have no awareness of my surroundings."

"Kolbasa?" He blinked slightly as he pointed towards the meat on the frying pan. "Is that sausage?"

She nodded. "I called in for some local stuff. I hope I cooked it correctly," she said slightly as she poked at the meat with a frying pan. "I need to add some egg now. Unless you'd rather just eat it as is? With a few spices of course."

"I don't have too much time for an elaborate meal," he sighed as he nodded to the egg being added to the dish. "I have... business to take care of."

"Ah... well that's okay. I had a call from a former client anyways. Wants me to conduct her physical. Turns out the company that hired her is under a ton of heat and pressure. She wants to be at peak condition in order to take on threats." Sally gave a weak smile and looked downwards. "I... I understand if you can't tell me what's going on Gabriel, but please. Promise me that you'll be careful."

His heart tugged slightly at hearing her concerned words. He turned his attention away from the food she had just placed on a plate for him and instead, gently stroked her cheek. "Anything for that smile of yours."

The mercenary noted how Sally's face lit up at the affection. "Just minimize the killing. I'd rather not get sent to the Gulag or straight up sent out of the country. I mean I know you have to keep up the edgy persona," she teased with a smirk. "But I'd rather not get crucified by the internet."

Gabriel thankfully managed to avoid frowning at her words thanks to his training. "I will keep you out of these problems of mine."

"We're a couple, aren't we?" she questioned grumpily as she stabbed her food. "Let's just enjoy this meal before we have to do whatever this day requires then."

Sensing the negative mood, Gabriel merely nodded and tasted the breakfast. "It's good, Sally. Thank you."

Her frown softened at his words. "Thanks... Give me a second to text my friend and client that I can meet with both of them sooner than later."

Zarya almost yelped at the text message tone that startled her out of her routine. She slowly lowered the weights she had been lifting and reached for her industrial, heavy duty phone. She did not expect a well manicured hand to grab the device instead.

"Aleksandra?" a clear voice spoke with hope. "Turns out I am freer earlier than estimated. Shall we conduct your physical sooner?"

"Just because I'm lifting weights doesn't mean you need to read my messages," Zarya chuckled as she regarded her employer with amusement. "Although it is most welcome news."

"Indeed." Katya Volskaya slumped in a nearby chair as her bodyguard and friend began wiping down the machine methodically. "When I received communications from her. I was hopeful. Being _friends_ with this Sombra is sure bring about chaos. When you told me you also were acquainted with Miss Jones, it only made things easier."

"Not many are permitted to visit yet alone give physicals to the world class athletes," Zarya said with pride as she recalled the first day they met. The Russian had an unusual feeling about the medic but not necessarily a negative one. The American was rather guarded yet open about how she felt at the same time. She may have not been against omnics to Zarya's disgust, but yet she did assist against them by being in Overwatch. Even now, the athlete turned soldier knew she was helping the medical community of both human and omnic. "I am intrigued however by the fact she did a stream within our country. How did she get it past..."

"She contacted me in regards to it. Despite the skepticism from the government, I have my ways." Zarya had no response to her friend and patron's words. In Russia, if Volskaya Industries wanted for something, they got it. "Besides, she might need our help as well."

"With?" Zarya huffed slightly. Despite not completely trusting the medic, she did have a healthy respect for the woman. Regardless of a difference of opinion, she was useful and efficient. "You look concerned."

"When one runs a security company... even when old friends come calling, you still look into their situation" Reaching into her desk, she held up a glove. Zarya's trained eyes focused slightly on the cybernetics that were obviously present. "From a... _friend_ , I got the idea for this." She donned the glove and quickly tapped at the air. A few pictures of Sally Jones were visible. She had the transparency of the images turned down so that the images were crisp. "At the convention, she showed powers as the world knows. Powers normal humans do not have."

"Even omnics would have difficulties with such powers. The generators necessary for such control would be massive and noticeable. Truly military grade."

"Powers that many fear. However, she does not act or handle it like someone unused to it. She had this for years. Decades even." Volskaya sighed as she looked down. "She could have had this as a child. Hidden it." She tapped at the image, causing it to minimize and another to maximize. "This is from even earlier. Quite a bit actually. One of her servants came back to the mother country after being graciously let go by the Jones estate. Unusual is how much was paid as a severence. And the fact every servant and staff member was dismissed." Tapping the image again, it minimized. "A little later, she is shown in the company of an outlaw."

"Jesse McCree," Zarya recognized. "An internationally wanted outlaw but he was a member of Overwatch if I remember correctly."

"Unofficially it seems," Katya corrected with a concerned look. "Which means one thing."

"Blackwatch," the pink haired athlete cursed slightly. She had heard of Overwatch in the past and when they looked over at promising soldiers and athletes, she was up there in consideration but she had heard from friends involved with the darker parts of the world about Blackwatch and its less than stellar reputation. "You think she has ties to the underground?"

Another flicker of the glove and another image got enhanced before playing out as a video. A man walking alongside the woman. Despite not wearing armor, he was obviously wary and alert. He walked like a seasoned soldier and seemed to be ready to pounce on any threat. "That man's stride is similar to those Talon elites who infiltrated..."

"Exactly. His profile appears to match the one referred to as Reaper." The businesswoman sighed as she tapped her chin. "A deadly mercenary rumored to leave none alive on a mission sighted alongside a compassionate medic who was once the student of Angela Ziegler."

"They don't look like they are planning anything nefarious," Zarya noted. "Is this security footage from a liquor store?" Squinting at the image, she nodded slightly in approval of the vodka she saw in the shopping basket. "They look like any normal couple actually. Oh..." The husky soldier groaned. "Хорошо," she groaned sarcastically as anger set in. "Could he be using her?"

"We'll see. If anything, we can intervene."

Zarya threw her head back in a barking laugh. "Toss me my phone and we'll arrange a pick-up for her." She quickly thumbed a message back to the medic and glanced at her employer. "Will she actually listen to us? We've all gotten along in a professional sense but now... We're going to try to talk to her about her personal life. She is notoriously quiet about that side of her."

"Give her no chance but to listen," the industrial minded woman hummed. "She has to respect our opinion about this matter."

Zarya frowned as she reached for the key to the limousine that was practically built like a tank. _We might just bite off more than we can chew... Doctor Jones has never been known to go into a situation completely ignorant._

Almost as if knowing someone was talking about her, the medic in question sneezed and sighed. She was utterly bored since Gabriel had slinked out of the suite. He looked like he was in a bad mood to boot. When she asked if he was alright, she was merely given a string of Spanish curses that even she had to look up. Tapping her fingers impatiently, she glanced at her phone to see if they had arrived and bit her lip on seeing nothing. Deciding to get some things in order, she quickly tapped out a text to Mercy, sending a simple 'Hello' to see how fast she would respond.

She could not anticipate how quickly the doctor would reply and almost jumped seeing the screen stay lit as the response was immediate. " _Sally? Hello there! Is all well?"_

Despite her less than pleasant history with the Swiss, Sally could not help but smile. She could practically hear her good intentions through the text. " _I'm thinking of visiting the WP-G. Will it be fine with Winston?"_

The next text took a couple minutes to get a response. " _Maybe. But Gabriel might not be able to go."_

Despite understanding that things would not be smooth between the two, Sally could not help the white hot surge of anger that filled her being. She had to clench her fist to focus herself, as to not allow anger to keep her electricity surging and thus, escalate her condition. " _Things are a bit sour between them both,"_ Sally neutrally texted back. After she sent the message, she took deep breaths in order to calm herself.

" _Winston likely would welcome you happily. Especially if you could take a look at his Tesla weapon and give your opinion. Your input along with Torbjörn's could prove valuable."_

The words made sense but Sally could not help it when she hissed slightly. She almost jumped however when an arc of electricity tore through the air and blew out a light bulb. _Shit. I need to relax._ She quietly began to count in Japanese until she felt tranquil. _Worst feeling ever. Can't express my anger due to that gas turning me into an anger management nightmare with powers. Have to bottle it up. Just keep quiet and hope that one day, I don't snap._ She looked at her hands and saw how she had began to text a deal that she would look over the weapon in exchange for Gabriel going with her but then frowned. _I... I can't go. It may not be sunshine and rainbows between me and the current Overwatch but I don't want their blood on my hands. I couldn't..._

Before she realized it, the darker side of her mind spoke up. _But Gabriel has. Just because it wasn't some bigshot names you recognize doesn't make it any less true._ Sally frowned at the thoughts but they kept continuing. _Gabriel is having to do so much for you. He has to restrain his new nature. The nature your teacher forced onto him. And what have you given up for him? Certainly nothing at all? Surely you could be more understanding._ She touched the temples of her head and winced as the thoughts kept going. _He would want you bathed in the blood of his enemies, would he? You're denying him and forcing him as a human. Stopping him from consuming those souls despite the fact it heals him._

"No! Those souls cause him to change," Sally hissed as she slumped onto her knees, clenching her head. "He isn't supposed to do that. No human should..."

_Is he a human anymore? He heals and regenerates with consumption of souls. You met him as Reaper. You knew him as Gabriel Reyes and didn't do anything in his favor. That man is gone._

"I want a better life for him. He doesn't want to be who he was," Sally gasped slightly as she felt a pounding anger build up in her head. It was becoming harder and harder to restrain herself. "Stop saying such horrible things."

_It's all in your head. You filter what you tell him. Does that make you better than the Overwatch he hates?_

"It was all just a misunderstanding... It isn't his fault. It isn't Jack's. It isn't Angela's..."

_He wants to murder them. Even now, I bet he wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over shoving the barrel of his guns into each of their faces and watching the hope drain from their eyes. He wants their blood to stain his jacket and to walk past the puddles of fluid. He would devour their souls and truly become whole. And deep inside, you want him to. You want to usher in his glory. His utter godliness. He is evolution. He is something greater than human. You desire an equal._

"An equal?" Sally said quietly but the rebellious thoughts ceased to the point that it even felt like a hollow tunnel inside her mind where she was alone. "What is happening to me?" she asked in fear until she yelped as her phone loudly rang. It took a second for her to glance at the screen and curse her jumpiness as she reached for it. "Sally speaking," she spoke crisply into the receiver, wondering how she kept her voice so even.

"We are outside the hotel," Katya Volskaya said with a bemused tone. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah. Let me grab a jacket."

"You Americans are unused to the Siberian weather," Sally heard a laugh in the background.

"It's a lot colder here, that's for sure," the medic agreed. "One moment." She hung up the phone and glanced around. She felt so very alone and a bit frightened. Shivering slightly, she quickly grabbed her jacket and locked the suite door.

While Sally was leaving however, Gabriel was just arriving at his destination. He frowned at the gaudy, almost American styled diner that was the coordinate he was sent. It was a place he knew that McCree definitely would have enjoyed back in the times of Overwatch. The place seemed to run so much off of American hype but at the same time, he was unsurprised to see the waiter was an omnic. _Must have gone here to not be targeted by the blatant hatred outside._ "I'm looking for my friend," he explained as the omnic started walking to him.

The omnic jerked suddenly and nodded quickly before swiftly turning away. Gabriel's eyes caught what almost looked like electronic threads falling away from the robot. "Yonda," a cheery voice called towards the mercenary.

"Sombra," he scowled as he made his way towards the booth the slender Latina had procured. She had some pie in front of her with ice cream on top. "What are we doing here?"

"I'm eating some pie," she explained as if speaking to a child while smirking at the man's annoyed expression. "You need to have more fun, Gabriel."

"I don't need to have fun with you," he scowled as he glared towards her. "What do you want?"

"So grumpy," she teased as she put down her fork for a moment. "Not getting any?"

"Any what?" he outright growled, daring her to finish her sentence.

"You know," she wagged her eyebrows before huffing. "You're no fun right now at all. Is it Russia? Does the cold make you stiff and boring?"

"Can you be fucking mature and just get to the point," he slammed his fist on the table.

Sombra sighed as the motion caused half her pie to fly off the plate and onto the floor.. "Such a bully," she shook her head. "And to think, I was going to provide you a way to rejoin Talon."

"Not interested," he grunted as he clenched a fist. Wisps started to gather, forming his distinctive shotgun. "Now, will you cooperate or..."

Her fingers quickly twitched, stopping his wrist from fully forming the weapon. "Anything can be hacked... or anyone," she warned with a devious smirk. "Now sit down and clean up my pie. That was rude to cause these poor omnics anymore trouble. They have it hard enough here."

"You had to pick the worst slum in St. Petersburg," Gabriel rolled his eyes as he dropped a few napkins carelessly on the discarded food. "In a country with notedly the harshest anti-omnic laws. The fuck were you expecting?"

"A warm welcome from an old friend... After all, we shared many good times and memories in Talon," she hummed as she sipped on some hot chocolate. "Besides... Gabe, be real. Do you think this will work? You're getting lost in the fantasy of it."

"That's funny coming from you," he sneered. "You act like it's a video game I'll get immersed in or something."

"But all this isn't realistic is it?" Sombra put down some money and motioned for the mercenary to follow her.

"We're not in a sci-fi world of 0's and 1's," he sighed as he put his hands in his coat pocket. "Be serious, Sombra. You dragged me away from where I belong for rambling and fantastical bullshit."

"Gabe." The Latina sighed slightly. "Don't turn your back on Talon. Don't turn your back on me."

"I owe Talon nothing. I owe you even less," he said coldly. "At least Widowmaker never intentionally sabotaged our mission." He smirked slightly as the air appeared to get colder. "We both hinted at knowing but your silence on the matter only confirms this. Besides, we've noticed things. Talon noticed things."

"Talon has nothing on me," he hissed. "She is the only light in my life right now and they can't touch her. They fear her too much."

"Do they? Or are they merely sheep, obeying orders?" Sombra rhythmically tapped her fingers along her face. "Think of it this way. Right now, can she be touched publically? No. Oh no. But a disgraced mercenary who has no more affiliation makes a huge difference. Especially if I try an experiment. And I'd love to experiment with you, Gabe." She gave a flirty wave, causing him to flinch slightly.

"You disgust me," he retorted. "Get your hands away from me."

"Why Gabe... If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were afraid of me." She smirked knowingly.

_Shit. How much does she know about the nanomachines? I know Angela examined some and determined they had basically integrated into my body but..._

"So worried looking. It's a different look than what I'm used to." Reaper frowned as the hacker approached him boldly. "I wonder how I could make you dance. Could I make you raise a shotgun to your precious woman." Her face twisted into a dark sneer. "Her blood would be interesting. Would she even bleed?"

"She's still a human," he growled out as he pushed her away slightly. "I know how to interrupt your hacking. Try that shit on me. I fucking dare you."

"I don't even have to be here to have a true hold on you," she reminded with a cheery wave. "Or maybe I'll try this shit out on the chica myself."

"She's not a machine. Don't be stupid."

"But yet, you are also not a machine. Yet you fear my hacking." She looked at her hands thoughtfully. "Maybe if it gives you reason to fear, it must be for a reason. I might not be able to really control her but..." She felt a wide grin pass her. "But what's the worse that can happen? She could hurt a traitorous friend. Damage the reputation of both Overwatch and Volskaya Industries. And even cause you to spiral into a homicidal rage. All I have to do is wave my fingers and desire."

Gabriel frowned. Even afterwards if Sombra released her, Sally would be broken if she caused someone to hurt. Sure the mercenary had been skeptical and a bit worried finding out just who in Russia the medic was affiliated with but he was nowhere as concerned as now. Sally Jones being controlled or even possibly influenced by Sombra was a worse case scenario, especially given how selfish and short-sighted the hacker could be. "Don't be rash... What do I have to do?"

The triumphant gleam in her eyes almost became blinding. "You will kill Katya Volskaya yourself. I tried to exert my influence over her by using her child..."

Reaper felt his stomach roll. "That's..."

"Somehow, the Russian puta moved her child out of my sight. Somehow. This mierde doesn't just happen, Gabe!"

Despite the grim situation, he felt himself smirk. "So Volskaya slipped something past the greatest hacker in the world?"

"It can't have been her!" she screeched angrily. "Besides... she's a mother. Mothers worry about their children. Putting pressure on her will work eventually but I'm pissed. She tried to pull a fast one on me and that is no bueno. I want that bitch dead," she snarled.

Gabriel could not help but blink at the pure anger. _Sombra is really touchy. Something must have happened lately._ "So... You're moody."

"Pinche viejo. Go kill the Russian bitch and I'll let you and your woman go," the Latina muttered as she crossed her arms. "Now. I don't care who is around. She will be in the frozen ground, six feet under."

Sighing, he rolled his shoulders. "I don't have a choice. I refuse to let you touch mi reina."

"How adorable. Gabe gave his pet a name," she sneered. "Remember. Kill Volskaya or I joyride with your girlfriend. I doubt I'd stop there. I heard she was quite the brute. Maybe I could unleash her at the new Overwatch headquarters. Or somewhere quaint. Like an orphanage. Somewhere she'll be noticed. And no amount of streaming would save her face then. A murderous ball of electricity in human form... Oh just the thought..."

"I get the idea," Gabriel sighed with resignation. "I'll go now."

"Yes. You should," Sombra hummed. "But I'm watching over you. Can't let you tip off anyone, can I?"

"That would be prudent," he admitted reluctantly. _Damn it. I need her just to slip up once._ Gabriel noticed how he felt angry but not overwhelmed by it. Instead, he was internalising it very well and not letting it affect him. _It's almost like before Jack got promoted. Just... Just relax. Breathe in and out... even if you don't need it._ He felt almost tranquil as he analyzed the situation. He stared at Sombra carefully, trying to see when he could blindside her and scowled. The teleporting technology he saw her use before was not on her waist. _She must have deployed it somewhere just in case._ "Shall we?"

"Yes. I want to see her die," Sombra scowled. "Let me call a cab. I don't recall you being fluent in Russian."

"Neither are you," he frowned. "You just have a translator stuck inside your brain thanks to your modifications."

"Close enough. I may have difficulty with the accent, but you'll find I always know what to say," she replied with a smirk. Sure enough, she had no difficulty calling over a cab. "Volskaya Industries," she murmured with a chuckle towards the omnic cab driver as she flickered her fingers in the air. It did not take long before the machine slumped slightly before driving mechanically towards their destination. "A preview you see," she chuckled as she elbowed the mercenary.

"I've seen you use your abilities," he replied in an unimpressed tone. "We could have gone towards almost any car and you hack that instead. Or I could have just Shadow Stepped my way towards Volskaya."

"Hacking an empty car is no fun. Besides, this way, I have a thing I can dump to take the blame for shit. I'm surprised though to see an omnic do a job like this. And in Russia of all places. Must be a short circuit in his board."

He nodded in understanding as she kept tapping her fingers in order to give commands. "Tin cans. Can only expect so much of them."

"Yet, the woman you're with advocates for omnic rights." Reaper scowled and wished he had his mask to hide the eyes he wanted to roll. "Don't get me that annoyed look, chico. As cute as this fantasy is, you know it can't last forever."

Sally startled slightly as the limo hit a bump in the road. She held a hand to her heart to calm herself. "Doctor. Are you unwell?" the pink haired soldier asked with some concern. _She is nervous. Her eyes are moving around very often, as if looking for escape. Is she truly in league with the mercenary targeting Katya or is there more to the tale?_ "You look very pale. Even for American who doesn't go out much."

Sally forgot about the unusual sense of dread she felt and giggled slightly. "Really? Aleksandra, you know I'm not a normal American. Not all of us are attached to a computer and trying to compete with the modern Koreans for who can stay attached to the internet the longest without fresh air and sun."

"It works out for them," the business woman chimed in as she sipped some vodka. "They are producing a large amount of gamers with honed reflexes to throw inside MEKA units. Some inspiration for those weapons, I of course, tested in regards to our own units. I wonder if I can convince them to send a soldier for training. Possibly even that celebrity one."

"D. Va?" Sally clarified with a chuckle. "I've met her. Nice girl. I think she's an ambassador for Korea, not just a celebrity gamer and soldier. She'd probably end up doing it if her government approves."

_She knows Hana Song? That's a connection I didn't expect. Although, not many would suspect this American doctor to know the most powerful woman in Russia,_ Zarya thought with suspicion. "How do you know of her?"

"Would you believe she chased the tour bus I was on with Lúcio?" Sally said with a raised eyebrow. "It is quite the tale."

_And now socializing with rebellious youths, known for stealing from corporations?_ Thoughts conflicted inside the Russian soldier. _Although, taking down Vishkar's hold in Brazil is good for the common people... The things I've heard that they've done..._ "He's a singer?"

"He's a DJ... Sort of," Sally shrugged. "Electronica music. But it has military applications. I could set up a teleconference if you'd like, Katya. Maybe he'd be open to sharing some of his knowledge. If not, it'd be nice anyway. The music can also assist in healing."

"But it is mere sound," Zarya countered. "Unless it is blasting out the eardrums, what can it do on the battlefield?"

"Seeing... or rather hearing would be believing," Sally smirked. "I'll send him an email. Can't hurt right?"

"She's right. There is only benefit. It could also boost morale having a celebrity around," Volskaya admitted. "Your connections have certainly grown impressive."

Sally paused slightly, caution causing her eyes to flicker uncertainly. "Well, even in Overwatch, it was like that too. Despite being in the medical unit, you became acquainted with many around the world."

"But that is the past," the Russian business woman countered. "And as glad we are to have your acquaintanceship, we warn against a few of your others."

"Such as?" the American bit out quickly.

Zarya felt a slight surge of annoyance from the medic. The other two began staring at each other before Sally huffed and looked away. The anger seemed to dampen slightly. "I wonder if you had an attempt on your life lately?"

"Yes... Or at least, I believe so," Sally said curiously. "There is no way you are not unaware of that damn video circling the internet."

"Must be a trend," Volskaya smiled. "I also was targeted. Inside my very property as well. Rather embarrassing for the best security company in the world, no?"

Sally tilted her head slightly. "Concerning rather. You don't take such things lightly. Beefed up things it seems," she referred to Zarya's presence with a chuckle. "Then the fact you actually asked to help send your daughter away..."

"We've had difficulty getting too far in investigating the assailants," Volskaya continued as if she never even heard the American speak. "We've identified that they are from Talon."

"Pardon?" Sally choked on the vodka she was attempting to drink. She coughed slightly until Zarya gave her a hard slap on the back that forced her out of her chair. "Thank you," she retorted sarcastically towards the pinkette who helped her back into her seat.

"One we've identified as a French citizen. One supposedly dead," Katya continued undeterred as she sipped her drink. "Despite security cameras being down, as she fled the scene, several troops noted her."

"Amelie Lacroix," Sally said with a nod. "She was kidnapped by Talon and brainwashed to kill her husband as they couldn't dispatch him themselves. But that's not all..." She stopped and touched her head slightly. Anger started to surge through her and she could not control it as electricity began to swarm around her hands. "Damn it... I didn't want to wear my gloves here."

"What are you," Zarya hissed as she noticed the air in the vehicle itself become charged. Sally quickly dug through her handbag and slipped on a pair of gloves. She then flicked the unusual choker on her throat and sighed in relief. "So that does something. I was suspecting an unusual fetish at first."

The American flushed slightly at the words. "It helps to suppress my powers and let me control it. Lately... when I use it, I become very aggressive." She quickly tilted back her head to down the liquor she reached for. "Anyways... The other Talon members spotted?"

"One I know of as Sombra," Katya hissed with distaste. Her calm demeanor broke away into a cold rage. "She collects advantageous friends and blackmails them in order to ensure compliance."

"And she made contact with you, it seems?" Sally guessed and was awarded with a glare in response. "Damn. I haven't heard of her actually. I can look into it?"

"Not necessary," Volskaya muttered as she signalled Zarya. "We've arrived. Tread carefully, Jones."

"Katya?" Sally asked cautiously as she stepped outside the limo to follow the two Russians. "What are you getting at? It seems you were..."

"Not another word until we're safe," the business woman muttered briskly. "Follow quickly."

Sally felt her heart beat frantically. _This is unlike her. She usually is very calm. Something bad must have happened. I mean, I was worried when she contacted me about her daughter but..._ She blinked when she realized she had followed the two women into a very secure, very isolated room. "Where...?"

"The last one we've discovered is a mercenary for hire who within the last couple years was affiliated with Talon but occasionally did work outside of them. He had some semblance of honor it seems but not much. We've known him for killing many members of Overwatch."

"What are you...?" Sally started but she was not prepared for Zarya suddenly pinning her against the wall. The medic's eyes flew open. "Aleksandra? What?"

"What do you know of the man named Reaper?" the soldier asked as she applied some pressure to Sally's arms to keep her unable to reach her pockets for any weapon she might have procured.

The medic however had not taken any weapons as flying to Russia made it impossible for her to bring a firearm anyway but she would not have as she had called these two now aggressive women friends. "Talk, American scourge."

"Aleksandra..." Sally gasped as her body was starting to build a charge out of the sheer instinct to protect herself. "Let me go," she said softly. "Please."

"Are you conspiring with that mercenary to finish off what he couldn't do with Talon?" Zarya hissed as she pressed Sally harder against the wall. She could feel her hands getting warm but could not hold back as righteous fury took over. "To think that I trusted you."

"You still can... Just please," Sally felt tears leak out of her eyes from the strain of holding back her powers. The anger she felt earlier was attempting to force its way out and the pressure was causing her head to ache. "Let go, _now_."

"Be careful," Katya advised as she walked towards her desk, not specifying which of the women she was addressing. Pulling open a desk drawer, she reached for a syringe, causing Sally to eye it cautiously. "We don't want anything bad to happen but understand that we have to take precautions."

"I told you to let me go," Sally roared as she now began to full on panic and thrash despite Zarya pushing her against the wall with all her strength. The Russian woman frowned as her hands began to grow even warmer but she still physically could overpower the smaller woman. "I can barely hold it back. This shit will hurt you a lot more than it'll hurt me," she snarled as her self control began to wane. "Now fucking let go or else."

"Hush Sally," Katya whispered as she stabbed her neck with the syringe, carefully injecting into the jugular. Sally's eyes widened as the liquid emptied into her bloodstream. "I apologize but please..."

The medic's eyelids began to droop slightly, as if lethargic. "Let go of me," she mumbled sleepily as she stopped struggling. "Hate this feeling. Unnatural," she muttered into the crook of Zarya's neck.

"You can stop the dramatics," Katya scolded. "It suppresses your physical energy and stiffens your muscles but doesn't slow your mind. Your deception isn't appreciated."

"Well excuse me," Sally attempted to roll her eyes but found the effort too taxing. "Not everyone's fucking friends decide to pin oneself and drug me. What's next?"

"Just listen to us," the business woman said as she sat next to the American. Zarya had reclined her against the wall and even brought her a blanket, causing her to scoff. "Thank you, Aleksandra. Listen. Talon wanted my death and they brought what apparently were their elites."

"What does this have to do with me? I'm not affiliated with Talon," Sally sluggishly said with irritation. _Technically, I currently am not. So I'm not lying._

"If it wasn't for the one called Sombra," Volskaya spoke casually, as if her friend was not drugged. "They would have killed me." She saw the glare attempting to form on Sally's face. "Despite how you feel about me now, you have to admit that for Russia, my death would be problematic."

"Whole world," Sally muttered as she struggled to swallow any air into her body. "Your company provides a lot of security weapons and machines. Despite your country's rather archaic viewpoints on omnics..." She then attempted to smirk but she was startled as her hair was pulled by the business woman. "Fuck. You're a bit more cutthroat than I suspected, Katya."

"Tell me. Why have you brought the man who appears to be Reaper into our country? Are you going to try to kill me as well?"

"I just wanted a vacation," Sally answered carefully. "And the man you're speaking so harshly of..."

"Is right here," a hiss sounded from the other side of the room. Sally's eyes were unable to widen due to the influence on her body but she was surprised at the sight before her.

_Why is Gabriel wearing his Reaper gear?_

Zarya attempted to spin around to address the threat but did not expect to be hurled to the other side of the room as she had tried to charge the intruder. With a groan, she fell on her particle cannon with a hard thud. Volskaya fared even worse as Reaper reached for her arm and literally threw her across the room, causing her to hit her desk. "Mi reina," he whispered softly as she ran his hand along Sally's cheek. "What have they _dared_..."

"Don't," she weakly muttered. "Physically... I'm more or less restrained. Don't hurt them, Gabriel."

"They must have put really strong drugs in you then," he said as he raised his eyebrow despite knowing none of them would see it. "They threatened you. And I don't put up with that bullshit." _Especially with you at risk._

"Did you really try to kill Katya?" Sally said quietly. The room seemed to become chilly as everyone barely even breathed as to not miss a word.

"Orders were orders," he muttered simply as if it was the easiest thing in the world. "This was before we got together."

"But after we became reacquainted?" the medic asked with a slight hiss.

"Understand this. Back then, I made no such promises to change myself or stop killing. And in any case, it's kind of bullshit you expected me to change without any understanding or..."

"Wait, what?" Sally coughed in shock. "Gabriel. Slow down," she muttered before inwardedly rolling her eyes. _Words I've never uttered before._ "Who says I did not expect to give concessions or change myself?"

"Well, it's obvious everyone wants the psychopath to change," he sneered darkly.

"Gabriel, stop talking down about yourself," she hissed as she tried to force herself up despite her sluggish body protesting. "You are doing what you can and... I'm sorry if I tried to change you but I don't want people to see you as a monster like you always think you are. I care about you too fucking much for you to hate yourself. You aren't a villain. You're human. A human dealt a truly shitty hand and..."

"I'm not going to stop killing. I never said I would. I've killed people you've helped in the hospital wing at WP-G," he said bluntly. "I tried to kill Volskaya and would try again. Especially after today's round of fuckery. You truly think that makes me human?"

"What else has such a thirst for vengeance other than a human?" Sally said with a slight smile. "Gabriel. Don't blame them for what they tried to do."

"So am I to take the blame?" he practically spat out with anger.

"No. We'll blame Sombra. If it wasn't for her..."

"I don't think so," a voice snidely butted in before the tapping of fingertips could be heard against almost a glass like panel. Everyone turned to see the Latina smirking as threadlike lights connected to Sally. "You took too long, Gabe."

"Don't you..." He stopped as she began to chuckle.

"Too late, Romeo." She clicked her fingers in amusement as Reaper found himself blasted away from his woman. He groaned as he hit the wall, surprise causing him to not assume Wraith form fast enough. "Even more effective than I thought," Sombra gave a low whistle as Sally stood up shakily. Electricity sputtered slightly in the air around her. "I knew the electricity would burn out anything they gave her," she said confidently. "Her physiology is fascinating from all the reports I've read about what Talon has on her."

"She lied," Zarya bit out as she tried to stand up herself but her body was shaking slightly, using her weapon to hold herself up. "That bitch."

"Actually no," Sombra shrugged. "She isn't affiliated with Talon currently. Not like she had a choice." She then smirked. "But you would know of child soldiers, wouldn't you?"

Reaper's curiosity was piqued despite his annoyance. "Get to the point."

"She isn't just a world class athlete from a small village," the hacker said confidently as she flexed her hand. _Mierde. It's tough keeping control over the chica._ "But enough of that." She snapped her fingers and pointed at Volskaya. "Kill the perra. She's gotten in my way for far too long."

Sally strode over to them, her eyes focused and hard. "I've run out of electricity," she said with annoyance.

"Wait, what?" Sombra sputtered in surprise. "That shit happens?"

Unbidden, the medic began to laugh. Gabriel frowned as the laugh was not one that Sally would produce. The enunciation was brutal and harsh. "I lied," she smirked as she stepped towards the hacker. Before she could use her translocator to escape, she shrieked as the medic grabbed her neck and let a surge of electricity soar through her body. "Payback is unforgiving sometimes," Sally said harshly as she dropped the twitching hacker.

Reaper saw steam exude from areas he knew Sombra to have implanted cybernetics and winced slightly. "That was brutal but efficient. Sally? Are you okay?"

"Never better," she smirked darkly, causing him to worry. When he glanced into her eyes, he startled slightly seeing how sharp and alert they were. "I'm even inclined to let her worthless hide live."

"That look isn't natural," Zarya sputtered as she glanced towards her employer only to see she was still unconscious from being thrown on her desk. "In all the years I've known her, she never was like this."

"You didn't know _me_ although you knew me," Sally shrugged without any concern. "Now if you all excuse me, I have things to do."

"What's going on?" Gabriel demanded as he held onto her wrist to stop her from leaving the secured room. "Sally, this isn't normal. What is going..."

He gasped as electricity soared through his arm and he went into Wraith form in order to not be shocked anymore. "Let go. I don't need to be held back. Not anymore. I don't have to hide in the background and watch myself become a doormat for everyone else's' wishes." She glanced at her right hand and happily clenched it on watching electricity arc across her palm. "And I can use my power freely again. It is... glorious," she declared as she touched the keypad to the secured door. It was only a second before the panel exploded due to the electricity she charged inside the device. "Good bye. For what it was worth, meeting you all was an interesting experience." With a wave, she let more electricity flash brightly.

"Fuck," Reaper cursed as he covered his eyes briefly but when he finally was able to see, she was gone. He growled when he heard groaning from the room and scowled as he saw the Russian businesswoman attempting to choke out Sombra. "I got other shit to take care of now."

He did not get very far however when something husky and pink blocked his way. "I will help you. We did not listen and it's our fault."

Reaper sighed as he glanced back at the two women who stopped fighting and began to listen. "I can't do this with just us. Depending what's happening... I might need to call in even more help."

"Gabe. Don't be rash now..." Sombra began only to be staring down a quickly manifested shotgun.

"If I lost my woman forever, you'll be fried even more than your pathetic electronics." He sighed as he started out of the room. "I will attempt to track her. Let's hope she did not get too far." He was not optimistic however when he saw a few places that looked lightning struck just a few feet away. _Mi reina... What did Sombra do to you?_


	15. Chapter 15: Too Many Snipers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A buffer between the prior and next

Ana Amari sipped her tea as she looked over the dossier that was placed in front of her. “So Jack. Why did you hesitate so long before bringing this to my attention? If I didn’t literally catch you going out the door with Lena... would you have really gone by yourself?”

The former commander shrugged sheepishly. “They’re both my friends, Ana. I can’t just...”

“Gabriel tried to kill us,” Ana reminded him sharply. “And she is a negligent, irresponsible youth. The fact that Angela actually tolerated her enough to teach her...”

“You always were so against her,” the American soldier said with a frown. “Why? Is it because Fareeha would ask about her?”

“She looked up to her. What was great about her? She was never a soldier. Instead, she sat in the background, doing nothing.”

“That’s a bit unfair. You know she took care of the infirmary when Angela was away and was a very competent medic. She may not have taken to the battlefield but she did help prescribe medicine, heal injuries, and honestly we might not have been good for each other, but she wasn’t a bad girlfriend.”

“Jack, you thought with the wrong head back then and it’d be a shame for poor Lúcio if you did that yet again.”

This caused the former commander to scowl. “That’s real low.”

Elsewhere in the world, the DJ in question was bobbing his head to a beat playing on his machinery as he surveyed the buildings around him. “Hey Hana. Why did I agree to this?”

“I believe you owed Miss Vaswani a favor for stealing a kiss,” the Korean gamer chuckled as she surveyed the beautiful blue and white buildings. “This area is so beautiful. Why would she want to leave Vishkar?”

“Don’t act like they are some pristine company that can do no wrong,” the Brazilian sneered. The dark look was so out of place on his usually pleasant countenance that it caught the Korean off guard.

“Stop doing that. You look like Old Man Gabriel,” Hana sighed dramatically.

“He’ll kill you if he hears you refer to him that way,” the musician pointed out. “But enough of that. We need to see what Satya wants. The world knows I have a beef with Vishkar and I’m not in the mood to be reminded of their splendor.” He rolled his eyes at the sneers and disgusted looks being thrown his way. “I’m not a fan of being treated like the shit that someone tracked in the house.”

Hana reached out for her fellow celebrity’s hand and squeezed it. He reciprocated with a smile. “I checked the address out though. It isn’t on Vishkar property. But the safest way to it was...”

“Through the public streets that Vishkar crafted with their blood, sweat, and tears,” Lúcio droned in boredom. “I’m surprised that the whole city wasn’t overtaken by them.”

“Public image is a double-edged sword,” the Korean chuckled. “They want the filthy hovels out of the city yes but that means displacing people and facing another public relations nightmare. Especially after Brazil, they can’t afford that. You saved these people too, Lúcio.”

“The real hero is you. Getting into a MEKA to fight giant omnics...” He gave a low whistle of appreciation. “Now that is Overwatch material.”

“I’m glad that Winston made it mandatory for anyone going out from Overwatch to go as a pair,” D. Va mused. “Safer that way and also that means I get to get to know my new team,” she said with a smile. “I’ve been having a blast with you.”

“Although I’m certain you would have enjoyed it more if Genji was around,” the DJ teased the now blushing Korean. “You seem hesitant though.”

“I really like him but...” She paused slightly. “He’s a bit older than us.”

“Doesn’t stop Sally and Gabriel,” Lúcio pointed out.

“I know that silly but... At least they knew each other in a similar environment roughly. During the Omnic Crisis. Genji grew up as one of the Shimada heirs.”

“That different of a class lifestyle?” Lúcio asked with slight confusion.

“Not really... no. I grew up normally relatively. In Korea however, that means being a gamer. School was boring. Give me a keyboard, a mouse, and point me towards any game. I will blaze a trail of victory and down my opponents with my superior APM,” she bragged with a smirk. “I knew what I was good at and so did my parents. I... sometimes question how easily they signed me over to the Korean government.”

“What?” Lúcio frowned. “I thought the gamers they recruited...”

“Not recruited. Drafted,” she corrected. “Not that my parents tried to stop them. Korea was at war with the giant omnics and we couldn’t trust in our MEKA alone. The higher ups were valuable to society. The gamers however were an expendable joke,” she said bitterly. “Of course, I was always the best. The government reimbursed my family well for the honor I earned. But whatever. We’re not here to reminisce about my family drama,” the gamer huffed slightly. 

“Instead, we’re here to pay my debt back to a Vishkar,” Lúcio sneered slightly. “Out of all the people I picked, I picked her. Does that say something about myself? I recognized her. I could have picked anyone else to rankle Jack. But I picked a Vishkar.”

“They’re still people too,” Hana reminded the now fired up Brazilian. “And something drew you to her.”

The DJ sighed and shrugged. “Oh well. Let’s get on with it. I owe Satya and I won’t go back on my word. I ain’t hearing that noise.”

“Good to hear. But you are far too loud,” a prim and proper voice scoffed. Both of the youths jumped when they saw the Vishkar agent but she was not in the usual uniform. Rather, she was in a bright white sundress. Her legs flashed slightly, causing the other people in the area to look away from the slightly scandalous outfit. “And to decide out of all the ways to get to your destination but cutting through dangerous territory. It shows either great courage or great foolishness.”

“And you’re trying to meet us in that?” Lúcio scoffed. “Like it makes your legs look good, but uh... People looking at you isn’t exactly covert.”

“But here, the female form being so revealed is a bit much. Even in someone who doesn’t appear a foreigner,” she smirks knowingly. “None of them, being so proper, want to be accused of staring. Follow me to my apartment. We can discuss there without any Vishkar interference.”

“You’re acting like you’re not one of them anymore,” D. Va notes.

Symmetra’s smirk drops and she sighs. “It’s all a matter of perspective, really.”

Lúcio’s brow furrows but while he follows the two ladies, he shoots a quick text off to Jack.  _ “Hope you’re okay out there. Good luck.” _

Jack reached for his phone and sighed slightly at seeing the words on the screen. “You’re looking good, Jack. He must be a good influence on you.”

He could not help but chuckle. “He tires me out though. So full of energy. Even being pumped full during the Soldier Enhancement, I doubt I’d keep up with him.” He closes the phone without responding to the DJ as he turns his full attention to Ana. “I can’t wait to land. I’m antsy.”

“And worried about what Gabriel could do,” the sniper said bluntly. “Admit it. You always want to defend him and... I would too. But how can you forgive him after what he did? You saw his face, Jack.”

“And he looks better. He’s more in control of himself. He’s like his old self.” Jack smiled fondly as he remembered the old days. “Gabriel isn’t just a mindless murderer. He’s not just Reaper. He’s... Ana, he’s Gabe again.”

She chuckled softly. “If he managed to pull himself out of that cycle, maybe there is hope for our old friend. To think, that  _ she _ caused this.”

“I know you haven’t gotten along well but that is the past,” the old soldier began but he was cut off by the sniper.

“Projecting her mother issues upon my daughter... How can I...” She scowled. “I’ve watched her grow up from the shadows. Fareeha is a beautiful woman now. But cold and resentful. How can I reach out to her?”

“She’d be upset you hid yourself, especially from her,” Jack pointed out. “The Fareeha I remember was always fiery. She always wanted to join Overwatch too.”

“We are  _ not _ bringing her into this. Let’s just get Salvation stable and be done with this mission,” Ana bit out harshly. “If she really has become that big of a threat, she needs to be put down.”

“You act like she’s a mindless murderer. Or an agent of Talon from the old days,” Jack noticed as he observed his friend slip into the mannerisms she kept while on a mission. “She’s not a bad girl. She has our flaws. We all do.”

“She is an agent of Talon. Unintentionally, maybe, but still. And she could have given us valuable intel but she hides in the med-bay and acts innocent.” Ana was scowling and could not help the anger that filled her. “She was around my daughter, Jack. She could have hurt her. How do we know that she didn’t take Amelie to Talon?”

“Because she didn’t. Damn it, Ana. I know you dislike her but to this extent?”

“Does it matter? We’ve landed,” she cut him off with a frown marring her wrinkled face. She turned to Tracer, who had slumped slightly as if to avoid the older pair’s ire. “Thank you for the flight, Lena.”

“No problem. I have to fly back right away though. Russia is very fussy about their airspace and I can’t exactly land around here,” the British girl explained very skittishly. “I’m glad to land in Volskaya at least so you two don’t have to parachute out but I’d rather not test out Russian hospitality while flying a military grade plane.”

“Although she seemed very remorseful on the phone from what I was overhearing on the phone,” Jack said with a hum.

“You could hear something else besides Gabriel alternating between yelling, shouting and some Spanish curse words being flung about?” Ana said with a raised eyebrow.

“You learn to tune that out,” Jack admitted sheepishly. “Maybe if I didn’t, things would have been different.”

“Or if I actually came back immediately after we found out about Amelie,” Ana mused slightly. “Gabriel would have not felt so alone with all the pressure. And Fareeha would have been different. Happier maybe. I wanted to save her from our type of life.”

“It’s not a bad life,” Jack responded as he grabbed a duffle bag full of his supplies. He slung his pulse rifle over his shoulder and waved towards the skittish British woman all too eager to leave. “Thanks Lena,” he called out in an attempt to halt the conversation he knew would depress Ana.

“No prob, Jack! Help out Gabriel and maybe Sally will convince him to rejoin us,” she said with a smile before leaving at Ana’s gloomy expression. 

“This is a bad idea. We shouldn’t get involved,” the sniper advised grimly. “Why are you doing this?”

“He’s my friend. Despite all the shit that happened, that never changed. I regret that I didn’t see the issue earlier.”

“He’s a psychopath now,” Ana reminded him sternly.

“And maybe he wouldn’t have snapped if you came out of hiding,” Jack bit out angrily. “You didn’t see him after that mission. I was certain he was going to kill me right then and there. How could I justify to him that I let one of my friends and comrades just die without going back to look for them? Why didn’t you reveal yourself after or come back to headquarters? Too afraid to admit you failed? Didn’t want your daughter to grow up with a mother apparently,” he sneered.

“That’s low, Jack,” Ana said with a warning tone. “And you’re no better. Who didn’t come back after  _ dying _ besides me?”

“My two best friends were dead, the organization I was leading was becoming reviled around the world, my girl believed I was dead, and I was just so fucking tired of being in the spotlight. I thought on and on how Gabriel was right. I couldn’t be on the spot all the time. I missed the battlefield too much. I didn’t always lead the strikes. Especially after your death. But my life wasn’t the same after you two were gone. But if I had a daughter...” he said with a challenging tone. “I wouldn’t have died. I would have fought for her to know that...”

Ana threw a punch at the American before he could continue his words. Jack easily blocked the blow but Ana merely curled her other fist to prepare to jab him in the stomach. While he barely avoided that blow, he was caught by an elbow. “And to think, one fight I wasn’t a part of,” a bemused but tired tone remarked. The two scuffling soldiers separated with annoyance. “Good to see you, Jack. Ana... glad this is under better circumstances.”

Ana’s one eye took in her old friend’s form. He was not wearing the armor he had as Reaper but rather a heavy jacket. She suspected underneath was thinner armor. “Gabriel. I wasn’t aware you even felt the cold.”

He chuckled dryly. “Astute as always. Must be a sniper thing.” He crossed his arms and shivered slightly. “It’s harder for me to ignore the cold actually. I can walk around in my armor yes but do you realize how much it fucking snows here?”

“It’s not snowing now, California boy,” Jack chuckled.

“Still cold,” he grumbled. “Are you two coming or not? Someone has to stop Volskaya from attempting to kill Sombra.”

“Volskaya as in...” Ana began only to be halted by Gabriel’s nod. “What did you two do now? International incidents?”

“If anything, she would be the cause. Drugging an American citizen, especially one of such prominence, can be quite damning. Especially when she has both the support of humans and omnics,” Gabriel smirked darkly. “After the death of that omnic in London, more and more people support omnic rights after all. Maybe it is the curse of Russia to be clinging to their past and blaming the omnics.”

“Do you forget about the omnics who attack this land?” Ana pointed out. “Or the many deaths?”

“You act like Korea isn’t undergoing the exact same,” the mercenary sneered. “But all the same, you don’t see Hana Song acting like a racist.”

“Isn’t it speciesist?” Jack frowned slightly. “And if I remember correctly, you really weren’t too fond of omnics either. What was it you would say about tin cans and a dime...”

“C á llate,” Gabriel scowled. “I know what I said and how I used to be like.” He saw the sniper roll her eyes as she stood away from them. “Odd how you supposedly mellowed out but seem just as judgemental as ever.”

“You tried to kill us and other members of Overwatch. Although I am relieved you look better...” She paused as she really took a deep look at Gabriel. When she had seen him last, he had deep scars that looked deadly and were oozing blood in addition to being darkened, almost char black. Now however, he simply looked pale and the only sharpness to his features was the agitated gaze he wore. Some of the deeper scars he had worn during Overwatch looked like they were softening. “Actually, you look a lot better than I expected. Is it just the Soldier Enhancement, like with Jack, keeping you like this?”

“Maybe. Not feasting on souls probably too,” he admitted. Despite being somewhat reformed, he still felt a dark amusement at Ana’s discomfort. “Sally had something right when it comes to acting human I guess. If I stop trying to utilize this darker aspect of ability Angela unintentionally gave me... it’s a lot easier. Less pain at least. But I feel like I’m changing all the time.”

“That doesn’t sound too good. Maybe she should look you over?” Jack suggested cautiously.

“We actually were going to until this,” he waved his hands at the Volskaya building they had just arrived at. “It’s bad, Jack. This is a huge country. A dangerous country for a renegade with electricity powers, experience as a Talon agent, and aggression problems. We need to find her immediately.”

“It’s not like you to be so panicked,” the former Overwatch leader frowned. “Gabriel, start at the beginning. What happened?”

A guarded look came over the mercenary. “If you wish me to truly start at the beginning, I need to introduce you to someone.”

“Gabriel. What did you get yourself into?” Ana said cautiously as the two followed the taciturn mercenary. She glanced past the various armed Russians who gave Reaper a wide berth. “Why are they...?”

“I may have destroyed one of their anti-omnic mechs. Without reloading,” Gabriel commented lightly. “It was fun. I was so impressed that I even spared the pilot. If anything, I was a distraction at the time. And Volskaya pulls the strings here. Her troops know not to touch me.”

“I can’t say you’ve ever lived a dull life,” Jack admitted as they entered a secured room. The room quickly locked itself. In the corner, a slightly tanned woman with an unusual haircut was being slapped by a stern and displeased Russian woman. “So... I’ve never met the famous Katya Volskaya before but...”

“Save the charisma, Strike Commander Morrison.” The CEO walked away from the tied up woman and walked towards her pink haired bodyguard. Zarya handed her a water which the business woman took a sip out of. “This imp over here is the cause of our problems. And the sooner you free my friend from her grasp, the better. Mother Russia cannot suffer a disaster from a human, especially one known to sympathize with omnics.”

“Speaking of sympathizers,” Sombra began cheekily until she was cuffed by a displeased Zarya. “Too scared to hear the truth, Aleksandra?”

“Did I give you leave to use my name, scum!” the Russian woman huffed angrily as her hand reached for her throat. “If there was oil through your veins and metal instead of flesh, your death would be certain.”

“Ana. Jack. This here is Sombra. I’d disclose her real name but...” he began just to see the hacker struggle in a renewed frenzy against the Russian bodybuilder. “It causes that. She is frightened of it, you see. It’s rather amusing.”

“Still a sadist I see,” Ana observed as she walked towards the hacker. She slumped in Zarya’s hold now but the Egyptian looked around. “Is she missing chunks of her flesh along her scalp?”

“Augmentations. Instead of ones like Genji which enhances his body and actually allows him movement, hers enhance her mental capability. It eases her transition into cyberspace, she said once.”

“The young sparrow...” Sombra said quietly, almost with a reverent tone. “He’s an interesting one, isn’t he? Gabe never told me much about him when he worked with him in Blackwatch.”

“Because it was none of your damn business. Dios mío. When you got your eyes on something, you won’t let go,” Gabriel muttered angrily. “This woman blackmailed me to come to this country otherwise she would turn the world against Sally Jones.”

“I dislike her,” Ana began skeptically. “But the world at large seems to be curious about her newly discovered powers. What would people hating her...”

“Anyone that has an unusual condition or power would be targeted. It’ll be worse than the omnic wars,” Jack realized with a gasp. “If people who seem to be normal humans have something that makes them different, they’re a target.”

“So even you, Jack...” The soldier nodded grimly.

“All that stuffed they pumped in me makes me not a normal human,” he confirmed.

“I’m obviously not a normal human anymore either,” Gabriel chuckled darkly. “And for that matter, neither is Angela. I’m pretty certain the nanomachines she tested on me she’s used on herself.”

“You don’t know that,” Jack frowned at the thought.

“She’s always healed from cuts quickly the few times we took her on a mission. I didn’t think of it as at the time, I was just happy with my team being on top form. But in hindsight... It always was a bit fast. Someone who never shot a gun before the war somehow has scarily steady aim. And her focus... It’s not normal.” He scowled at Sombra, who was paying a bit too much attention to the conversation. “And on the rare chance she didn’t do that to herself, those observations alone could paint her as a target.”

“And the Shimadas aren’t normal humans either,” Ana pondered. “I’ve hunted down some of the crueller ones which were my targets before. And from how Genji was, we definitely know they aren’t the average human. Dragon magic...”

“In any case, the point is made. The witch brought me here and when Sally said she could secure us accommodations due to her connections, I never expected her connections to be my very target.”

Jack Morrison glanced at Katya Volskaya. “How...?”

“Her work that she has done in the medical field and knowledge of electricity has many applications in my world,” the CEO confirmed. “And through my bodyguard, she has served as a physician at several world class athletic events.” For a moment, she looked mournful. “Finding out though that she was spending her time among a dangerous mercenary that was previously after my life was a bit concerning.”

“Concerning nothing. Downright enraging,” Zarya muttered with irritation. “I still don’t trust you, Reaper.”

“You’d be a fool to,” he admitted lightly. “In any case, these two decided to interrogate Sally while I was being blackmailed by Sombra. And that’s where they made a mistake.”

“We drugged her, you see. It was a powerful dosage but it never slowed her mental capacities. And we didn’t know she was having difficulty controlling her anger and thus her electricity.”

“And never considered the fact her electricity would let it burn through faster. When Sombra tried to hack her...”

“She isn’t an omnic or a robot,” Ana scowled. “This story makes no sense.”

“But her hacking prowess utilizes electricity. And something she did interfered with how her mind works. Neural signals utilize electricity. It’s how she learned so quickly and had good reactions. Anyway, the interfering electricity caused the drug to wear off and awakened something dangerous within her. Something Talon created.”

“So she’s a criminal,” Ana concluded.

“No. She’s worse. She’s a weapon they constructed because her mother was an agent of Talon. By the time her mother realized what she had done and pulled them both out, the damage was done. She attempted to cover up the effects but it’s obvious that the cover could so easily be pulled away with the right tools.”

“And I’m a master of exposing what is just begging to see the light of day,” Sombra snickered. “Even if unintentionally.”

“Cállate, woman. You idiot. We’re in a country with a powerful Omnium. And an electricity user that could wreck havoc,” Gabriel scowled. “You turned my woman into a monster she doesn’t want to be.”

“I don’t know about that, Gabe. She looked pretty thrilled,” Sombra smirked. “You know, for a brief second I felt fear, being at her mercy. Being alive now however means something. Nothing can bring me to that moment where I felt so close to death. I don’t feel any more alive than I do now.”

Gabriel made his way close to the still weak hacker and held his hand out. A shotgun manifested in it after swirling shadows solidified in his palm. “Listen here, puta. My woman is out there, doing god knows what because of you. If she does something she will regret, I will make sure you suffer. I won’t even kill you because you don’t deserve that relief. You don’t know what you brought forth.”

“Salvation. A true agent of Talon...” Sombra began before frowning. “The odd thing is... I don’t know what compelled me to do it. Hack her that is.” She paused slightly as she began to think on it more. “Dios mío. The electricity thing I knew theoretically would work but why would I do that...”

“When I was told what you have done, I did not believe it myself,” a crisp female voice answered. Ana flinched as she saw a blue skinned female stride inside, smirking. “Odd. I was certain I ended you those years ago. I did not want to believe Reaper. I dislike failing and pride myself on a successful kill.”

“I’m rather glad you didn’t,” Ana remarked casually before glancing towards Gabriel. “Did you really have to bring Amelie Lacriox into this?”

“Widowmaker has been involved in unraveling Sally’s past. If anything, out of the rest of us, she would know the most. Plus, she has a beef to settle with Sombra.”

“Yes. This woman denied me a kill.” The French woman smirked at Katya Volskaya, causing the business woman to frown. “And it would have been a fine kill. Worthy of much note.”

“I’m glad you didn’t succeed,” Katya sighed. “I don’t feel comfortable having this many killers in such close proximity. Let’s get this over with. I want to find Sally Jones and make amends. I’m sorry that...”

“Any beef you had with me should have been addressed with me,” Gabriel cut in rudely. “You brought a mostly innocent woman into this and whatever damage she causes, I hope it keeps you up at night. Congratulations. You have reawakened a dangerous, trained killer who from what we’ve heard, holds no remorse.” He turned away from the businesswoman and addressed the others. “So. We need a plan of action. Strategy meeting, if we must. Whatever is between our groups stays there. We can all agree that letting a former agent of Talon go unchecked is a very bad thing for all of us.”

“You don’t treat her like your girl,” Jack frowned. “I know she’s a threat but...”

“She’s a massive threat,” Gabriel ground out in irritation. “Do you think I’m happy to plot against my girlfriend? I might be a dick but I’m not stupid. She’s not a normal human. She’s dangerous, trained and willing to kill. If we go this half-assed, we’re as good as dead.”

“He is right. He cannot afford to be love-struck,” Widowmaker agreed. “Otherwise, it compromises our chances to disable her.”

“Gerard was a fool to trust you. Of course you’d be the expert in taking down a loved one,” Ana sneered. “He thought the world of you and you just shot him in the back, didn’t you?”

“You know  _ nothing _ about him,” Widowmaker hissed darkly as she strode over the older sniper. Her clenched fists gave away anger that had rarely manifested on her face. Today however, it was apparent with how purple she was turning. “You need me. Because the only one who truly knows the current Sally Jones is me.”

Jack could not help but scoff. “And why is that, Widowmaker?” 

The smirk she was wearing almost turned into a sad smile before reverting, as if a trick of the light. “Because. I grew up with her.”

Sally sneezed and stared at her hand in annoyance before reaching for a tissue. She hated how weak her body had become despite aging since last time she truly had control of herself. The sound caused the few omnics behind her to stare. “It’s an organic thing,” she explained blankly before the machines nodded.  _ All the information able to be programmed in an instant but yet biological functions and quirks stump them. _

“We understand,” one of them spoke digitally. It almost looked human except everything was metal while the ones around were in various stages of repair and maintenance. “It isn’t every day we have a human we don’t kill.”

Sally’s electricity flared threateningly, causing the robots to hum almost happily. When fleeing Volskaya Industries, she had felt her way towards a source of electricity that seemed to be relatively untapped. The Omnium was perfect and for some reason, the artificial residents saw her as something different than human due to her powers. “Speak like that again and I’ll render you into scrap,” she intoned darkly before continuing her voyage through the elaborate halls.

“Idle threats,” the omnic scoffed. “You may be advanced but you are still human. And once the weaker fleshlings fall...” He felt the hum of electricity through the air. “You are not that far above them that...”

“Save it. Your words are meaningless,” she scoffed as she turned away from the omnics. The other omnics read the scene and kept their distance.

The skeptical one chuckled robotically and began beeping towards his associates when a bolt of electricity surged through his head, cutting a hole cleanly through. She had missed the processing unit inside by mere millimeters. “Those powers... you utilized it like how a human does with a sniper rifle,” the words came out mechanically.

“The only reason I missed is because I am rusty with my body as I am,” she said coldly. “Attempt to turn the others against me again. I dare you. I could use the target practice.” With that, she turned away with a smirk.  _ If they come after me, doesn’t matter if close quarters or long range. I don’t have to hold back. They won’t take me away any longer.  _ She shut herself into her room and leaned on the cold wall.  _ Mother shut my true self away. Overwatch wants to restrain me. And Gabriel doesn’t understand that if I can accept his nature, why can’t he accept mine? No matter. None of it matters when they will all be beneath my heel. I wonder if I can trigger other Omniums to awaken. I think the most advantageous one would be Hanamura... Not too urban or easy to mobilize against but all the same... Need some counter- _ measure _ against Shimada magic though. _

Despite tanning in the Dorado sun, Hanzo felt a slight shiver along his spine, causing him to frown. He reached for his phone and was pleased by the concise, albeit brutal summary of Junkrat and Roadhog’s progress in eliminating Los Muertos. The only part that made him frown was the constant mention of a Sombra and how she had disappeared. “Maybe Genji will know,” he thought curiously as he sent a message over before silencing his phone as he knew the younger sibling would blow it up full of messages. “At least I’m not having to worry about facing omnics here,” he murmured quietly as he reached for the last of his sake.  _ I need to leave soon. Their contract is almost complete and I grow tired of the local beers here. The Shimada is be ready to purge the ill image plaguing our family. I will do what I must. _


	16. Data Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the annoying problems of irl, I definitely owe it to my lovely readers. Please enjoy. It will raise as many questions as it answers.

Sombra twitched as she listened to the deliberation between the rag-tag group of heroes, villains, and surly Russians. She did not appreciate being hogtied inside the helicopter and unable to barely move. She attempted to glance outside with boredom. “Are we there yet?”

“Such a child,” the French sniper remarked with disdain as she surveyed her former associate. “You are nothing,” she spoke crisply in a patronizing tone. 

“That’s rich from the blue woman in skintight clothing who killed her husband,” Sombra chuckled. “Can’t one of you loosen these bindings? It’s really rough on a chica.”

“Can someone silence the foolish manipulator?” Zarya sighed from the other side of the aircraft. “Some of us are attempting to rest before the battle.”

“What else am I going to do?” Sombra smirked as she gave a weak shrug. “I’m without enhancements. A weak little fleshing. Not even a weapon. That ain’t fair.”

“To quote you... ‘Where’s the fun in playing fair?’” Reaper quipped with annoyance. “Your words are worthless to us, Sombra. To be honest, why did we take you along?”

“Gabriel, you know we need all the help we can get. And this woman does know more than others,” Ana pointed out darkly. “I can’t believe she was able to affect anyone so dramatically. As much as I dislike Sally, she never would do anything so potentially catastrophic.”

“Indeed,” Widowmaker agreed with the elder sniper, causing Ana to raise her eyebrow. “Even as a Talon agent, I have never known her to be so... destructive. Sombra, what have you awakened? Tis most disturbing.”

“Oh please,” the Latina dismissed. “Gabriel was dealing fine with my first attempt at messing with her.”

“How would you have...” He then paused, remembering the dramatic changes she had gone under lately. “Were you responsible for the gas?”

“I was just experimenting one day,” Sombra chuckled. “One of Talon’s newest allies had a promising young mind. I poked through her notes. She had a lot of writings about the effects of electricity on augmented humans,” she smirked as she waved towards her head where it was obvious the prior location of some of her own. “So... I added an aggression switch to a batch of the nano bots within the gas. Altered some of the properties.”

“You don’t know what you could have done,” Ana scolded harshly. “Especially to a being of electricity.” She paused as Gabriel glared harshly at her. “I made sure Jack told me everything.”

“Of course he tells you everything,” the mercenary sneered darkly. “Probably even told you which position Lúcio likes it best and everything.”

“Not the time, Reyes!” the old soldier roared with a red face, whether from embarrassment or rage, it was difficult to tell. “Now Sombra, what’s important is that shit affected our friend but it wore off for the rest of us. Why?”

“The nanobots inside sustain themselves off of low volts of electricity,” she said. “If the power were to go up drastically, they would have fried themselves quickly. But...” A mischievous look came across her. “When the power goes beyond a level of comfort, it emits more commands towards aggression towards the host. If she was alone... she would have burned them out. Likely killed someone and destroyed many things in the process, but the effects would be gone. However, she wasn’t alone. She was with people concerned about her change, wasn’t she? As cold and heartless as even Gabe can be, he recognized that this wasn’t normal.”

“You played us,” the mercenary grunted with annoyance as he clenched his fist. “You bitch.”

“It was like the best game of chess,” she smirked. “But funny enough, I knew you wouldn’t go to Mercy. It would take a lot of time to finally resort to that. When I heard that you were thinking of it, I knew I had to act fast.”

“We barely even discussed it,” he muttered. “Did you bug us?”

“It’s my job to know things, Gabe. Nothing personal,” she winked. “Knowing the nanobots were basically thriving inside of her, I knew I could hack them through her, using the electricity surging inside her skin as a conduit. It worked... too well. By the time she attacked me, I realized the nanobots were gone and I couldn’t do anything else.”

“But the problem is... we can’t just turn her back,” Zarya huffed. “When I saw her eyes, the medic was gone. It was a killer. Not even that of a soldier.”

“The eyes of a true assassin then,” Widowmaker smiled. “I’ve seen her much during training. We didn’t always share sessions but the aftermath was always interesting. She even told me once that she was scared she lost herself. I asked her how.” She paused dramatically before resuming. “And she said she no longer felt human. She did not want her weak fleshy body. She wanted the power she had.” A sigh later and even the smile she wore started to fade. “I saw my friend try to tear off her own skin that day. Hoping to reobtain that form before her handler managed to intervene. It is something when Talon have to drug their best agent. Her own mother looked torn even. I suppose having to regrow the flesh for your daughter does that.”

“She could have killed herself,” Ana said blankly, unable to think of how this could have happened to a child. “No child should have gone through that training or have the mentality you’re telling us of.”

“She believed herself a powerful weapon for Talon. But... reaching that form unintentionally gave her an idea. She didn’t have to be a weapon for others.” Widowmaker glanced outside, carefully choosing her words. “She realized she didn’t have to be a tool anymore. Her mother locked up those memories somehow and... When I saw her afterwards for the last time, she was so innocent. It was unlike her. The killer was gone. I was looking at another child. Even the injuries she sustained were no more.”

“What can we do?” Katya murmured quietly. “You’re telling us we all contributed to the rising of an electricity powered killer with a god complex. And I know her mother is dead.”

“She wasn’t for a while,” Jack confessed.

“Then we can consult her and...” Zarya began confidently.

“About that...” Gabriel looked momentarily regretful. “I kind of killed her.”

Everyone glanced at the mercenary with various looks. It was Soldier: 76 however who held his friend’s shoulder. “She wasn’t exactly human anymore, Gabe. And you couldn’t have known.”

“But after I did. And her living quarters are gone too,” he replied darkly. “Any information on how to lock up this side of Sally died with her cyborg mother.”

“She truly was a cyborg?” Sombra perked up with morbid interest. “If I get taken to the building...”

“We don’t have time for this,” Zarya muttered. “We’re outside the Omnium and Sally is down there. We must fight now.”

“We have no choice now,” Jack said. “We don’t really have a plan but at the least, let’s bust the omnics we know will be there. And... when it comes down to it, Talon or Overwatch... We still want to live. If we don’t nip this in the bud...”

“I know,” Gabriel said darkly as he held his hand in front of him. Dark swirls manifested into the stark white mask of Reaper and without saying anything further, he slipped it on.  _ Sally, please be alive in there somewhere... _

Meanwhile, Lúcio stared at the video footage that Satya was showing them. “So... You know about Talon and worked with them. And when I thought you Vishkar types couldn’t sink any lower.”

“Talon has legitimate branches Vishkar had worked with previously,” Symmetra huffed in protest. “I never realized that there would be a Doomfist involved and...”

“Wait. That sounds familiar,” D. Va interjected. “That’s what you stole, isn’t it? But where is...”

“Hidden for now,” the Indian woman said primly. “I wouldn’t let it fall into unsophisticated hands that would do meaningless bloodshed. Peace and order are important. Despite the history behind the weapon, as it was when it fell into my hands, it was nothing but a brutal tool. But now, it is perfect. And beautiful and...”

“One of my biggest fans isn’t so fond of that tool,” Lúcio frowned. “The destruction it caused in Numbani...”

“I heard about that incident,” the Korean sighed. “The Korean government is unconcerned for the most part but still. That is a powerful weapon being used against people.”

“And it’s in my hands,” Symmetra tried to reassure them. “However, I feel that Vishkar’s involvement with Talon has tainted a once prestigious and proud organization. And... I can’t say I support anyone that murders so...”

“So you admit that Vishkar was responsible for a great deal of deaths in Brazil?” Lúcio angrily growled.

The Korean gamer sighed slightly. “Satya. Why do you want us to help take down Vishkar? Anyone else would do so. Even the U.N. would.”

“The U.N. has allowed many things to exist that they shouldn’t. They are in Vishkar and Talon’s pocket. And even Overwatch had a dark side that they knew about...” She shook her head slightly. “No. Someone must take them down. And I do not discount the power of celebrity status.”

“Why would you ask something so drastic for a favor?” Lúcio frowned. “This is hardly equal to...”

“You took something precious to me with little warning,” Satya said primly as she folded her hands in front of her, almost demurely. “Something that I was not adequately prepared for.”

“Are you really talking about...” Lúcio paused then sighed. “Was it really that big of a deal?”

The Korean stared at the two of them then gasped. “Lúcio, did you steal her first kiss?”

The DJ rolled his eyes. “Look at her. She looks great,” he admitted with a scoff. “It’s hard to believe that she never had men or women line up for her.”

“I...” the light bending Architech stammered slightly, out of her social element. “Thank you.”

“Vishkar or not, you are something else.” Clearing his throat, he grew more serious. “But really. Why us to take down Vishkar? Why our influence with Overwatch?”

“One thing, loathe I am to admit it, runs this world and it is money. I am fully aware of a recent realliance with Overwatch and one of its members is in possession of a great deal of it.”

The two celebrities looked at each other before frowning. “You’re speaking of...”

“Miss Jones is known for backing many causes and if she lends her voice to this... victory is assured.”

“She won’t just back anything,” Lúcio frowned. “Besides, there is an issue.”

“Which is?” Symmetra raised an elegant eyebrow.

“She’s apparently lost her sanity now and is rather murderous.”

The Korean sighed into her hands as she slumped slightly. “It’s hard to believe reading what Jack sent you but I saw it. It’s true, Satya. Apparently a Talon agent stuck nanobots into her when we tried to attack that payload in Hollywood. And used those to like nerf her mind or something.”

“Miss Jones isn’t under her normal calm control then,” Symmetra clarified before humming slightly. “I think I can fix that.”

“Alright, I’ll bite. So what miracle cure does Vishkar have for forced sociopathy?” Lúcio said skeptically.

“It’s not a cure but we have information. And information is everything,” she said with confidence. She twisted her hand over her elegant light shaping glove and smiled as a bright eye surveyed the trio. “Tell me. What do you two know about this symbol?”

“It doesn’t look familiar...” Lúcio began before frowning. “I think I saw it in the favelas though. When it was razed by Vishkar.”

“I saw it on some of the Omnics I took down before in Korea,” D. Va said quietly as she thought on the battle. “They were tough too. A real challenge. Smarter almost.”

“I have another contact. She taught me many things,” Satya said with serenity as she shattered the eye in her hand, causing a blinding light to fill the room. Quickly manipulating her turrets, she set the beams to stun the duo and breathed a sigh of relief as both of their bodies softly hit the floor. Conjuring herself a chair, she lowered herself onto it before tapping the earpiece she was wearing. “It is done. They are ready for transport.”

“Good work, Satya. It is thanks to you that the world will become just,” a robotic voice sounded. “Treat our guests well. It wouldn’t do for them to raise an alarm on waking.”

“Of course,” she frowned in contempt. “I am no rank amatuer.”

A laugh sounded, causing the Indian woman to remember the first time she met this agent of the conspiracy. The glowing light that always seemed to emanate from her and the mix of cybernetics and human elements were truly intriguing to the young woman. “I will take care of Sally Jones. Prepare these two for the next battle.”

“Right away.” Satya disconnected the communicator and looked at the young duo. “So trusting. I hope to earn it one day,” she said quietly as she secured them carefully with conjured cuffs.

Soldier: 76 coughed slightly as he touched down off of the aircraft, causing the others to look at him. “The old man must need a breather,” Sombra smirked until she was hit over the head by Zarya.

“I’m sick of you,” the gruff Russian muttered. “Can we just toss her in the Omnium and carry out Miss Jones while they are distracted by this yapping Chihuahua?”

“Your woman wouldn’t want that, Gabe.” Sombra smirked confidently until the mercenary gave her a cold, hard look.

“She’s not there anymore, Sombra.”

A sneeze broke Sally’s concentration. She stared down at her hand, disgusted before heating the limb to kill off the germs. “What a disgusting function,” a robotic voice sounded behind her.

“Part of being human,” she said coldly as she wiped the now dry hand off on the Omnic. If the metallic being had eyebrows, they definitely would have been raised. “But if I have my way...”

“You’re still an organic. No matter how unusual your abilities,” the voice sounded blankly. 

“Not if I have a say in it,” she said snidely. “I’ve achieved something else. Something without form. And it was glorious.”

“But here you are. A sickly organic.” If the Omnic had a nose, it would have sniffed in disdain. “And squishy.”

She stared blankly. “Do I need to hold your processing unit in my hands before you stop the mindless insults? Or will the oil need to flow? Tell me. Since I am a mere organic unable to understand the mindset of a pile of steel and paste?”

“Enough. It appears there is an airship,” the Omnic interrupted. “Since you are not connected to our hive network, you have no way of sensing it.”

Sally huffed and went to a nearby window. She channeled some of her electricity to the nerves within her eyes and stared intently at the sky, determined to ignore the pain. Despite the stinging, she got the information she wanted and willed the power away from her orbs. “Normally my electricity can feel things moving. Like sonor but with electrical signals. So why...” She paused and smirked. “Gabriel is taking things seriously. Good.”

“Gabriel?” The Omnic questioned. “The only Gabriel that was of note in global politics or anything combat related is Reyes and he is...”

“Alive. Trust me, I know.” She glanced towards where the airship was then turned away. “He won’t be alone.”

“Are you being overconfident?”

“No. He is cautious. And he knows full what the best of Talon is capable of.” She chuckled dryly. “But not exactly the full extent of what I’m capable of. He’d rather be cautious.than go in half-cocked. You don’t stay head of Blackwatch without realizing there are other methods.”

“You almost sound admiring of him. It is... unsettling.”

She gave a slight smile. “When you think about a person who has scrapped and fought his way to the top of the food chain not once but twice... It is rather intriguing.”

“You are insane.”

She chuckled as a crackle of electricity flew across her body, invigorating her for the fight ahead. “No. Merely a predator recognizing another predator.” Sirens sounded, alerting everyone in the Omnium. “But now, is the time for action.” She glanced towards the Omnics that were gathered around. “I need a Bastion unit.” One happily beeped in response. “Turret mode with your core towards the wall. I will assist you in shooting down that plane.”

A few happy beeps sounded before they sped up as the human placed a charged hand on the Bastion’s blue core. Bullets speed towards the plane, crackling with electricity.

The first ping of metal startled Ana. “Would a Bastion unit really fire on aircraft?”

The white haired former commander looked toward the window and frowned. He could make out a few metallic dots and reached for his tactical visor. “The bullets shouldn’t be able to reach here and make an impact.”

“Shouldn’t...” Gabriel scowled as even more pinging sounds impacted the aircraft. “They are firing on us and we’re just sitting up in a tin can waiting to be blown up.”

“Not all of us can just wisp away in the wind, Gabe.” Sombra pointed out as she glanced towards Morrison. “Jackie baby,” she cooed, causing the man in question to glare at her darkly. “Are those Bastion units?”

“Several of them. Surrounding the building. One seems to have a glow but it is too bright for my visor to pinpoint exactly what...”

“It’s her,” Katya said confidently. “Electricity glows, does it not? Unfortunately she has a good understanding of Omnic physiology and thus will be difficult to combat in an Omnium.”

“And we still haven’t addressed the fact we’re getting fucking shot at,” Gabriel growled as he waved a newly materialized shotgun towards the ground. “We need to leave. Now.”

“If we parachute out, we leave ourselves vulnerable to other Bastions and not just the one she’s boosting,” Ana pointed out over the now increasing sound of bullets. “As resistant as the plane is, this can’t hold out forever.”

“We have no choice then,” Gabriel growled, his voice becoming raspy as he started to become wraith-like. “Open the plane.”

“Mon cher?” Widowmaker called in confusion. “Even you are not immune to death.”

“I’m not the one who will die,” he promised as he headed towards the door that Ana opened. “Besides, no one else can risk it. The weather is too chaotic,” he motioned towards the swirling snowy winds, “for any of you lot to shoot.” He felt the other hellfire shotgun form in his hand and gripped both tightly for reassurance. “You know what to do,” he nodded towards Jack and Ana.

“Of course. Be careful, Gabriel,” Ana said softly as Gabriel’s form seemed to waver before him as the wraithlike features took over. 

The hooded jacket formed over his head as he let himself fall out of the plane. He felt the blood pump in his ears as he watched the bullets whiz past him. The Bastion that had been shooting the plane did not even try to shoot him. The other Omnics on the ground were beeping in concern as the black blur that was Gabriel Reyes dropped ominously to the ground like a column of smoke. Reaper reformed in a sweeping motion with his guns tightly clenched at his sides. His eyes found Sally Jones as she lifted her arm from the Bastion she was powering. She ignored the fact the beeping Omnic she had stepped away from began to short circuit without her electricity powering it. The former medic stepped towards the mercenary with a blank expression on her face. “Reaper,” she said in greeting.” She motioned towards the Omnics around her. “This is rather... direct of you.”

“I don’t want to hide. Not from you or her,” he said darkly. 

“Her?” she said as she tilted her head in a way that the Sally he knew would have when confused. “You fail to realize there is no her. The Sally you knew was just ignorant of her true calling. The education she had regarding biology and anatomy was not to be used for healing. No. I learned it to know more ways to kill. More ways to disable my opponent before dealing the final blow.”

“But if she had emerged one way, she can always come back.” He tightened his grip on his shotguns and brought them forward. He noted that she did not even flinch. “I will bring back mi reina. Even by force if I must.”

A dark smirk took over the blank expression. He disliked how sharp the motion was. “Try it,” she sneered. “I’m not a combat novice. Even if I was sleeping deep within my own mind, I was always watching and gaining experience.”

He did not bother responding as he let his fingers speak for him. The minute the first trigger fired into a nearby Omnic, Sally responded with a crackling shield of electricity around herself. Any spray from the shotgun fizzled harmlessly on the energy but the Omnics around were not so lucky. The excessive electricity was making it difficult for them to process much other than the opponent in front of them as they attempted to fire on the mercenary. Bullets however seemed to miss Gabriel Reyes as he weaved in and out of the machines. His shotguns were speaking for him as every attack landed exactly where he wanted to.  _ She doesn’t even care about them. She’s just watching them all...  _ “Die! Die! DIE!” he roared angrily as he felt his emotions cling onto his being, fueling each and every one of his attacks.  _ I just want my woman back. The person in front of me isn’t her! _

“Sentry and Recon mode is not working,” Sally sneered towards her own allies. “And to think this is the best the Siberian Omnium can offer?”

A few angry beeps sounded as the remaining Bastion units started to shift to the dreaded tank mode. One formed behind Gabriel and was about to fire before a bulky female landed directly on top of the omnic. A confused beep emitted as the omnic tried to look up before the heavy clang of a graviton gun clanged against the base of the barrel. “Be gone,” the gruff Russian woman muttered as she fired a beam into the Bastion at point blank range. 

The robot practically exploded under her as she turned the beam to the sides, slicing and exploding the other nearby omnics as she would alternate her fire every so often. “Zarya,” Reaper murmured quietly as he turned his attention back towards the wayward medic. Sally’s eyes were blank as she glanced at the former weightlifter.

“You did come a bit more prepared than some would have,” she said with a thin smirk. “But it will be for naught. After all...” she felt electricity flow in her fingertips but flinched as a sleep dart hit her neck. Her posture wavered somewhat as she pulled it out of her skin. “How...? I should have felt...”

“You are too arrogant. The assassin has grown complacent in the body of a medic,” Ana retorted as she shot another dart into the slightly staggering woman’s right arm. She watched the electricity subside slightly as the fluid entered her still human body. “For someone so cautious...”

“Ana, that’s enough.” Soldier: 76 fired a helix rocket towards the entrance of the Omnium before glancing towards Sally, slumped up against an overloading omnic. He knew better than to approach however. “I don’t want to sound paranoid but this is too easy.”

“We need to hurry. I do not trust that trash with Katya,” Zarya muttered in annoyance. “Do I need to restrain the doctor?”

The minute Zarya got close, Sally smirked despite her head being bowed. Gabriel however felt the situation being wrong and roared, “Back up! She’s still a threat!”

Sally threw herself upwards with a rush of electricity, thrusting Zarya into a pile of the destroyed Bastions. She lost her grip on her weapon and groaned in pain, grunting as her back impacted roughly with the metal. “Damn it,” she coughed as her armor did not soften all of the blows. “I think I broke a few ribs.”

“Pure luck stopped me from shattering your spinal cord,” the electricity wielder murmured with a deranged smile. Sparks flew in front of her, charging the air with the promise of power. “Trust me, such a mistake will not...”

She was cut off as a few bullets whizzed towards her. Properly cautious now, Sally waved a hand to project an electric barrier, slowing the projectiles until they dropped harmlessly millimeters from her nose. “I never remembered you so, ‘ow do ze Americans say it? ‘Ammy?” a French voice murmured thoughtfully. “Normally, I would enjoy a tête-à-tête but circumstances dictate ozzerwise.”

“Amelie,” Sally’s lips pursed as if in disapproval. “And when an old friend stabs you in the back... This must be that feeling. I never expected to feel it.”

“It’s nozzing personal cherie, but I will not let myself die for your plans. And I feel for you. To be so... misguided. I pity you.”

“How the fuck do you two...” Reaper scowled with an accusing tone. “Dios mío.”

“Amelie was an orphan,” Sally chuckled. “Talon always did its part to alleviate that problem in other countries. In the States they monitored so firmly the childcare system but there were other countries that could be focused on. And of course, a grateful orphan proved a powerful weapon. Amelie in particular was always specially trained. The grace and poise she gained through ballet could be applied in so many other ways. She knew the whole time that soon she would be called upon to aid Talon but until then, she was to integrate herself within a prominent family.”

“Gerard...” Ana and Jack cursed together.

“He was so sharp,” Sally chuckled. “I remember that well, even if I was in the shadows of my own mind. But he was so very much a man led by his instincts. Amelie was so willing to be his and thus, he was so blindly loyal to her. I wonder... Amelie, did you enjoy the complacent, civilian life? I suppose Gerard was exciting enough, no?”

“And you betrayed his trust, نصاب.” Ana’s anger caused her careful hold on her sniper rifle to shake. “ياتك داهية تخدك,” the woman proclaimed in Arabic as she reached for another concoction next to her nano boost.

“Ana! Focus,” Reaper scowled as he snatched away the shot to the woman’s dismay. “Widowmaker, either help us or get the fuck out of the way.”

“What will it be, old friend?” Sally tilted her head. “I could have it in my heart to spare you. After all, we did grow up together, oui?”

The cold sniper huffed and turned around. She wrapped her arms around herself and used her grappling hook to pull herself away, on the far side of a building’s roof. “I don’t want to be involved in the thick of this mess.”

“Traitor!” Ana howled.

“You know nozzing,” Widowmaker hummed as she activated her Infrared.

“Amelie...” Sally did not like the sniper’s aggressive posture and backed up instinctively. She coughed however when she heard a switch go off, signalling the release of a venomous gas. “Fick mich,” she scowled as she began coughing.

“She worked out ze sleep dart but not ze toxin,” Widowmaker advised as she shot the woman in her right foot, causing her to howl in pain as she could not concentrate with the constant movement due to her coughing. “She should be disabled now, oui?”

“Roger that,” Soldier: 76 barked as he quickly flanked the woman and hit her over the head with his pulse rifle. She hissed in pain and tried to kick backwards with her injured foot but without any focus, it was a weak attempt as she fell over when she lost her balance. “Sally... Just give it up. We’ll get you fixed.”

“I’m not broken, damn it all!” She roared loudly as electricity surged out of her in a frenzied rush.

Zarya acted fast to trigger her graviton surge, quickly attracting the electricity towards the miniature black hole she created. “Hurry! It vill not last long!” her accent thick with exertion and pain.

Ana quickly injected the medic with even more sedatives, causing her to start choking as she was having difficulty breathing. Even the Egyptian felt pity at the state of the young assassin turned medic turned threat. “Stop fighting. Don’t resist.”

The medic groaned weakly. Without electricity surging through her thanks to Zarya’s attack, she had no way to burn off the sleep dart’s sedatives like she did earlier. The poison was taking too much out of her and causing her to be unable to focus the little electricity she had left. She began to cough up blood as her body was weakening without her power to augment it. “If I can be gone once, I can come back once more... You will try to fix me but...”

Gabriel had enough of the situation and hit her over the head with his shotgun’s handle. “Gabe, that was a bit excessive,” Jack remarked as he barely caught the thankfully unconscious medic.

“This coming from the man who hit her with his pulse rifle,” he retorted without any heat. “She was close to causing a real disaster, Jack. We can’t play with the kiddie gloves on.”

“I don’t mean to be a downer...” a Spanish accented voice sounded over their comms. “But it appears the Omnium is about to self destruct. The plane is picking up danger signals.”

“Fuck,” both former commanders of Overwatch swore as they assessed their situation.

Ana was shaking with anger, glaring at Widowmaker. The French woman however was unconcerned with the judgemental looks and instead was surveying her fingernails. Zarya was barely able to sit up and was clenching her chest. It looked like her back was bloodied up well if the droplets of blood splattered around was an indication. Sally was curled in Gabriel’s arms and shivering in the brutal Russian weather without the heat of her electricity to warm her. Both enhanced soldiers were mentally worn and dismayed at the news. “Jack... We need to act fast,” Gabriel muttered in annoyance. “If the Omnium doesn’t catch us in the explosion, the harsh cold will do us in before...”

“Volskaya,” the white haired man called up the plane. “Can you get the aircraft close enough?”

“She should be able to,” Sombra answered back. “But there is a problem...”

“And what the fuck could happen now,” Gabriel scowled as he allowed his shotguns to dissipate in order to fully hold Sally. “My woman has a destructive, murderous personality. Honestly, do I even know the real her? And on top of this...”

“Gabriel, don’t you dare say that,” Jack scowled angrily. “She spent more of her life as the Sally we know. A happy, albeit naive medic who had way too much money on her hands. Not much of her life was as a murderer for Talon.”

“I knew ‘er before,” Widowmaker reminded with a flirty smirk. “But I ‘ave to say, it is shocking all ze same to see ‘er again. She isn’t as strong as I remember... It should ‘ave been more... threatening.”

“But why were we able to overcome her?” Ana questioned. “The way you all built her up to be...”

“The Sally I knew growing up,” Widowmaker interrupted. “Is different from ze simple medic of Overwatch. But she never fully matured emotionally. Mentally, possibly due to ‘er powers. But emotionally, unlikely. She was shut down as a child who had a chance to grow through life. Ze assassin I knew vanished when we were both children. Afterwards, ‘er mother never reintroduced me to ‘er. I went around orders to try to reach out to ‘er.” The assassin sighed. “But zere was nozzing of use. My friend was gone. But in ‘er eyes, I worried. The steely glint of a killer still shined.”

“So aside from this conversation about a destructive child in a woman’s body,” Volskaya’s voice sounded with concern. “I believe Sombra had something to say...”

“This digital eye is appearing on all the electronic interfaces,” the Latina said with a voice that sounded slightly panicked. “We’re being watched.”

“By what?” Gabriel snarled. “This is tough enough...”

“As delightful as this is,” a digitized voice sounded over all the communication. “I’m sure you all will be grateful. I managed to partially delay the Omnium’s self destruct sequence to allow you further time to escape.” The voice paused before resuming in a confident tone. “And you’re welcome by the way. Considering the difficulty of two people inexperienced with aircraft in landing, even assisted by autopilot, I felt this was very generous of me.”

“Who...?” Jack frowned as he heard the voice.

“I’m even taking control of the plane to allow it to fly more smoothly since neither the Mexican or Russian are adpt with this aircraft,” the voice continued. “It would be a shame if Miss Jones was saved only to perish in a mechanical fire.”

“What is your angle?” Gabriel asked quietly as he touched the side of his ear where the comm was. The voice made him want to roar in anger at the thought of another person wanting to play games. “What do you gain?”

“That is irrelevant,” the voice responded. “I have a personal interest in making sure she stays alive and docile. Yet why is none of your concern despite your connections to her. Nonetheless, I was able to harness my resources using the information that Sparrow has given me. And one of my newest agent’s secured something away from Talon.”

“Do you have something against Talon?” Widowmaker asked carefully.

“Everything but I cannot forget my purpose. None of you can. Except you, Amelie.” The chilling voice did not seem accusatory but instead almost pitying. “When I saw you being brought in by Talonn, I should have stopped you. That was my mistake. For that, I apologize.”

“Who...?” the sniper frowned in confusion. 

“I will be in contact,” the voice promised before cutting out. 

The comm went quiet until Sombra began to whimper over the line. “Can everyone hurry up? This woman won’t stop,” Katya said with something almost akin to pity. “She looks like a shaken up rodent right now.” The aircraft landed, allowing everyone to board swiftly to escape the cold.

“I thought I escaped them when I left that life behind,” Sombra said quietly as she almost began to weep. “Even as Sombra, I cannot hide from it. Without my augments, it still haunts me.”

“What is going on?” Soldier: 76 frowned as he looked at her. He saw nail marks where it appeared Sombra had scratched her own cheeks.

“When she heard that voice, she began to attack herself in a frenzy.” Even the Russian business woman seemed bothered by the event. “She began murmuring about an eye watching over her.”

“Over us all,” Sombra corrected. “And it gets worse.”

Reaper scowled. “Can this get worse?”

“I recognize zat voice,” Widowmaker said quietly. “I fear for us all.”

“We need to share our information then. What is the matter?” Ana asked quietly, shelving her anger for her fellow sniper. “Who is that voice?”

“Someone who is corresponding with a certain Genji Shimada,” Sombra warned grimly. “He is the Sparrow.”

“But why would Salvation’s mozzer be...”

“WHAT?!?”

Hana Song’s eyes snapped open immediately and she reached for her ears. They felt sore for some reason and she flinched when she realized that her battle headset was on.  _ What the...? I wasn’t wearing this when... Wait? Where’s Lúcio? _ She glanced around the room and was alarmed at her findings. The room was a stark white with blue accents. The Brazilian DJ was nowhere in sight. Trying to find her pistol, she cursed on realizing her hands were bound.

“I would cease struggling, Miss Song.” The slightly robotic voice chilled the Korean’s blood. “It wouldn’t do to damage yourself before I integrate you into a greater future.”

“Who are you? Did that bitch Symmetra hurt Lúcio? Where is he?”

“So many questions. Such an inquisitive soul that was wasted on the Korean military,” the voice hummed almost with pity. “Your concern for your fellow Overwatch member is touching. The loyalty such a ragtag group inspires is quite interesting. To think that some of you would go to Russia to extract a wayward member is something else.”

_ Russia? I think Lúcio mentioned... Shit! _ “Did you hurt Sally?” The Korean demanded. “What the fuck is going on?”

“I would watch your language when speaking to your superiors,” the voice intoned arrogantly. “After all, if I’m taking you into the mainframe, I will not tolerate such behavior.”

“You can’t treat me like a child,” the Korean scowled. “And I’m not going into some mainframe. What does that even mean anyway? It doesn’t sound like any Omnic talk I’ve ever heard.”

“Because Miss Song,” the voice continued smoothly. “I am not an Omnic.” The gamer was quiet and confused. “I merely have a vision. And with the help of many, I will accomplish the vision. A greater future for humanity. Evolution at it’s finest. Symmetra is merely one helper. Sparrow is merely another. And Sombra unintentionally gave me many tools. So many organizations and powerful people under my thumb. And I am extending you the ultimate opportunity. Join willingly and I will even grant you a boon.”

“Where is Lúcio?” she said quietly. “Where is he?”

“He is being watched. Symmetra has an interest in him. Why is that?” the voice asked with amusement. “No matter. He will be integrated into the cause. The augments inside his ears make him more vulnerable to my way of thinking.”

“Can you spare him?” D. Va said quietly. She tugged at her restraints weakly with no give. “If I join willingly? I will not take action against Overwatch however or my country.”

“Currently those two things are not my target,” the voice hummed. “In the future if either stand in my way, I might even command you to act against them. Once you are one with the system, you will not be able to break away.”

_ Damn. But if I don’t do anything... I am a soldier and a gamer but Lúcio is a renowned celebrity and revolutionary. If they control him...  _ “I... will give myself willingly but you will spare Lúcio from any of your mind control or Symmetra’s schemes.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Miss Song, but I find these terms agreeable. Be mindful however. If Lúcio seeks me or my organization out for any augmentation to convert him, you will be unable to protect him.”

_ So be it, _ she thought grimly before she took off her headset.  _ How will she take control of me without this? _

“I’m not so foolish to believe that is your only somewhat electronic item on you,” the voice said mockingly as D. Va felt something constrain her body. 

Gasping, she realized her body suit seemed to shimmer with electricity.  _ Shit! I forgot there was something that allowed it to better integrate with my MEKA and to send my vitals back to Korean.  _ She felt herself drift away though as she saw something resembling microchips dance across her vision. “But Lúcio...” she said weakly as her own voice went away from her normally perky but competitive voice to something a bit more subdued.

“I could try to take him but...” the voice almost sounded like it had a smirk. “You are giving in. As long as your mind gives in, that is what I need to take control of you easily. And in the future... You will be unable to fight against me, D. Va.” The gamer’s tag did not even phase the Korean. “Now, act normally. I will inform Symmetra of her new support in taking down Vishkar with Overwatch’s assistance. Their group stands in our way. It will not due however if Lúcio discovers something is amiss.”

The computerized voice vanished and Hana Song felt the restraints give beneath her arms. Glancing down, she felt power surge through her muscles. The body suit even seemed to pulse in time with her own body’s heart beat.  _ I... Have a mission, _ she thought grimly as she stood up. Reaching for her pistol on a nearby table, she caught sight of herself in a mirror. The Korean’s face was blank of all emotion and the eyes were dead looking.  _ The Brazilian will realize something is amiss. I must channel my old self in order to...  _ She mentally released the cold grip the encroaching cybernetics had on her spirit and without realizing it, punched the mirror. Her eyes blinked in confusion as she looked down at her bloodied fist. The pain did not register but the sharp red of the blood and glistening of the mirror’s shards on her flesh stood out to her rapidly enhancing senses.  _ What the...? _

**_I play to win._ **


	17. Turncoats or Trapped?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are they captive or something else?

Sally’s eyes snapped open and she yelped as she realized how tightly strapped into the bed she was. A few wiggles made her give up and she decided to survey her surroundings instead. The stark white walls were discomforting to many but to her, she wanted to breathe a sigh of relief when she realized where she was. _WP-G’s infirmary... how? When? Where is Gabriel?_ Her head pounded with pressure and she groaned weakly. A telltale creak of a water faucet snapped her out of her thoughts. _How did I not realize...?_

“Mi reina,” the mercenary said with a gravelly voice that almost made her want to sleep out of the comfort it brought her. Her eyes glanced at the man of her dreams and she had to blink a few times to ensure that this was real. His eyes looked sunken slightly, as if not getting sleep and his skin was back to being rather ashen. It seemed like he held heaven in his hands in the form of a glass of water. “You need to drink something. Being given your nutrients exclusively through an IV drip is bad long term. You know that.”

_IV drip? But I don’t feel..._ She looked towards her right arm and her eyes bulged on seeing the sheer amount of plastic tubes weaving around her arm. She barely moved her head to the other side and winced seeing all the bandages stained red. “I...” She was quiet as images flashed through her mind of the conflict. The images felt faded and distant as she was unable to focus on them. “How badly did I hurt the others?”

“No one died if that’s what you’re wondering,” he said as he gently tipped her head back in order to give her some water. The gentle motions were further highlighted by the softness in his eyes. When he pulled the glass back, he gently stroked her face. “The Omnium did get destroyed though. Good thing too. It would have been bad if there was even more lasting negative effects.”

“Even more?” she coughed slightly as the sharp cold from the water felt startling after not using her throat for a while.

The sound drew attention as a set of heels began to click ominously.“Gabriel! Mein Gott! I told you not to do something like this. You were supposed to have called for me when she woke up,” the huffy blonde doctor strode in, hair swishing ominously in her ponytail. The pacifist’s eyes were torn between relief at Sally being awake and annoyance at the couple in front of her. The tense mood of the Swiss doctor put Sally on edge as she felt the words cut deeply. “Between the issues with Amelie’s unusual biology, your own and Zarya’s dangerous injuries, there is so much that must be taken care of. I will tire quickly of going back and forth fixing little issues that  my patients bring on themselves!”

The former Blackwatch commander flushed slightly at being scolded. “Angela, be realistic. I know how to take care of people. My agents...”

“Ended in my care when it was a total FUBAR,” she hissed darkly before pointing at Sally, who was now holding an empty water glass in her hand, unable to do anything else with it because of the tubes around her arm. “Sally, as good as it is to see you, you should know better.”

She glanced down at the glass in her hand. “I’m sorry... I didn’t think.”

Angela and Gabriel looked at each other with worry. Eventually, the doctor spoke, voice softening. “I was able to run some tests on you while you were asleep.”

“How long?”

“The tests didn’t take much time,” the doctor said soothingly. “I assure you...”

“Not that,” Sally groaned weakly. “How long was I out?”

“Almost a month,” Gabriel said quietly. “A month of not speaking to you. A month of waiting besides a machine. A month of putting up with judgemental looks and scorn. A month... without you.”

“Fuck,” Sally said as she laid her head backwards on her pillow. _If we are here then, he’s been surrounded by all the agents, constantly. He can get along with Jack somewhat but everyone else at once would be overwhelming. And they brought up Amelie being here too? That would be... Damn it. What’s the word._ She finally heard the machine next to her beep constantly and it shook her out of her thoughts. “What’s going on?”

“Well, some of us are going on a mission,” Gabriel said quietly. “Lúcio and Hana called in a favor. Apparently, they discovered what happened to the Doomfist.”

“The Doomfist?” she said quietly before her eyes widened in shock. “I need to...” she began as she tried to wiggle out of the constraints but they held tightly as they were meant for soldiers significantly physically stronger than her. She slacked as she felt no give and sulked.

“Nein,” Angela said bluntly. “You are in no condition to walk around, yet alone fight. Look at yourself, my student. You will not be able to hold a gun without shaking and your muscles have weakened greatly. Without your access to electricity...”

“What do you mean without?” Sally asked, panic blossoming in her voice. “I am never...” _Even when I had no memories of being an agent, I still could feel the tingle and spark. But..._ She paused as realization crept on her like molasses. _Oh no... How can I even...? I’m worse than useless. My thoughts are so fucking slow!_

The other two watched as Sally began to stir herself into a headache out of sheer worry. “Mi reina,” Gabriel began. “You need to focus on recovering. Yourself. Relax. Let us do the work. Angela will make sure you’re okay before letting you do anything remotely risky.”

Sally however was too busy staring at her hands to respond to him. “I’ll look after her, Gabriel,” Angela promised the former Blackwatch commander. “I have many tests to run and besides, you have lives to save.”

“Be careful,” Sally said quietly as she stared at him. She watched him roll his shoulders back as dark smoke took over his body to form his distinctive black trench coat. Without the mask though, it was comforting to her. “I can’t go far without you.”

He smiled as he turned around to lean over and kiss her gently on the forehead. “I’ll be back soon. Lúcio and D. Va need someone making sure they don’t do anything stupid. Watch over her,” he said coldly to the doctor before turning away. “If so much as one hair on her head...” he scowled before striding out of the room.

Mercy however merely nodded and made a notation on the tablet in her hands. “Sally. I need to go over a few things with you before you go back to sleep.”

The medic was quiet for a few moments. The blonde was startled when it took another moment for her to speak. “Why are you so certain I’ll sleep? Wasn’t I already for a while?”

Mercy bit her lip as she stared at her pupil with worry. “Much of your electricity was used and astonishingly enough, isn’t regenerating normally. We do not know why. In a way, it implies that you are a human battery, storing the energy for later. With a lot of the electricity gone however, you do not process things at the inhumanely fast speeds you are used to.”

“I do feel like I’m going so much slower,” Sally admitted softly. “I hate this feeling. I’m so lethargic.” _And to think, I wanted this gone. Be careful what you wish for indeed._

“And I don’t want to prescribe any strong medication and not just because of you being used to the high of electricity,” Mercy continued primly. “But maybe the fact you, in your blood, have something that has many similarities to the Soldier Enhancement that plagues both Gabriel and Jack.”

“Plague? Good choice of wording,” Sally said softly. “And I don’t recall having any enhancement unless it was done to me while I was a ward of Talon’s.”

“I feel it predates even that,” the doctor said briskly. “And it is a different variation. Possibly an older one? It is... more crude and diluted however.”

“And going by normal luck, dangerous?” Sally sighed as she looked downwards towards her lap. “Great. What else the fuck is wrong with me?”

Mercy bit her lip as she looked at her pupil. She was not used to seeing the young woman look so uncertain and lost. “Sally... The electricity. Perhaps you have become much too reliant on it.”

Slowly, the medic sighed. “Obviously. I was stuck with the damn stuff for much of my life.” She conjured a weak spark of electricity in her hand that quickly died out. “I no longer know how to live without it. It’s always been a part of me. The real me.” _Whoever that may be..._

“I studied you carefully while you were unconscious,” Mercy confessed. “And everything points to the fact your body should be able to regenerate the power. But the amounts displayed back at the Omnium could take years. Maybe that is why you are so depleted now. This power could be like a muscle, needing exercising and careful usage in order to grow.”

Sally nodded and gave a small smile. “That makes sense. I hope it is but I’ll try to tame it to a more controllable amount. That amount of power was scary.” _And if I lose control, I don’t want too much power at her disposal..._ “Angela... The person that took the Omnium... Is she still in me?”

The blonde doctor was hesitant to answer on seeing her student’s delicate state of mind. “For all we know, you are her. She is you. There is no easy separation. I was wondering if it could be some unusual case of multiple personalities, bipolarism or something of the sort. But... Without further study, I can only conclude you are both results of the environment both of you were raised in. It cannot be something so simple as killing that half of your personality. If you want access to your past memories, she is part of the package.”

The patient shook her head furiously. “Then, I don’t want those memories!”

Mercy sighed, wondering how to proceed next. “You can’t be childlike and just declare such a thing without thinking properly.”

“Look, doc. Just because electricity enhances my functions and thinking doesn’t mean I’m an idiot without it,” Sally growled. “I’m willing to sacrifice the power and fighting experience if it means I can no longer be a threat to my friends and the innocents out there.”

“But you also sacrifice the power to defend them,” Angela reasoned. “Having power is a delicate balance, even more so when you’re apparently holding back.”

“Or if I try do away with myself,” Sally shot back. “Then no one can use my power against others.”

Sally did not expect the sharp slap she received from the Swiss doctor. “Verdammt. Never speak of such things to me. How would Gabriel react? Think of how he would take such words and feelings? It would send him down another destructive, depressed spiral of rage.”

“You know a great deal about how to do that, right?” Sally sneered right back. The satisfaction however felt empty when Angela merely rolled her eyes and walked out of the infirmary, unwilling to be goaded into an argument by her student. She sighed and looked around the infirmary. _I can’t do much now. Might as well nap._

From outside the room, Angela reached in her apron for the tablet monitor and watched with relief as the video feature showed her student finally allowed herself to rest. _We really are the worst patients_ , she thought with grim amusement as she headed to the Watchpoint Gibraltar mess hall. She could not but smile however as she eyed her comrades. “Reinhardt,” she called out to the massive German.

“Oh?” he turned around and grinned merrily seeing the petite doctor. “Angela,” he roared happily as he stood up to greet his old friend with a hug. “It is good to see you out of the medbay,” he commented lightly as he offered her a nearby seat.

The blonde accepted the chair and lowered herself daintily. “I am most exhausted. When Jack and Ana left for Russia, I did not anticipate such excitement as a result.” She reached for some nearby coffee. Even if the nanobots within her body made it to where she was no longer affected by coffee, she had grown accustomed to the taste in her youth and found it a comfort. “I am glad they are all stable now.”

“But it might be a mistake bringing back someone who can unlock more potential in Omnics,” a gruff voice sounded. Angela glanced to Reinhardt’s other side, where Torbjörn plopped down with some food. “A right danger, she is.”

“Torbjörn, that is a bit hypocritical considering the wild Bastion unit you brought back,” Angela pointed with a hum before sipping some coffee. “Although for the one person who had the most hatred for them, it is a promising step.”

“Bah,” the Swedish man scowled around his food. “Save that optimistic crap for someone who cares.”

“He is making progress,” Reinhardt stage whispered, causing the doctor to chuckle. “Such a good example to set for all your little children.”

“Everyone is little compared to you,” the engineer rolled his eyes. “In any case, I think Bastion and Angela’s ward should stay separate.”

“She’s not my ward,” the doctor said sharply. “Sally is perfectly fine and able to look after herself if she stops feeling useless and sorry for herself.” _Physically, she’ll be out of the infirmary soon enough but mentally... only time can tell._

“In her heart, she is a good girl. I hope she feels better soon,” Reinhardt commented softly. “Seeing Gabriel so quick to anger and protective of another person was a nice change of pace.”

“When he has children of his own, that trait will be magnified,” Torbjörn said knowingly, causing the other two to stare at him. “What? It’s true.”

“I... never thought of the two of them having children,” Angela confessed. “It would be...” _Disastrous. Dangerous. Foolhardy... But endearing. Beautiful. Loving._ “An experience.”

“She’s good around kids,” Torbjörn said. “It’s why I wanted her to be there alongside you Angela when the children were born.”

The Swiss doctor nodded in remembrance. “We may not have gotten along at the time but the children always came first.”

“So, where is she?”

“Napping,” the doctor chuckled. “She isn’t used to being without her energy source and it’s showing. Thankfully, there doesn’t appear to be any permanent physical damage.”

“But the mental?” Reinhardt asked carefully. “Do you fear she may have PTSD?”

“I fear what thoughts would stew in her head if she gets her electricity back too soon,” Mercy confessed. “Until she is mentally ready to deal with everything, it is best that her level of thinking is a bit weaker than normal. Let her process it slowly before she has no choice.”

“Hopefully Gabriel won’t let his anger through too much,” Reinhardt said solemnly. “It would be a shame to lose a friend so quickly after...”

_I wouldn’t have been able to stop him if I tried. After staying by her side for a month, he needs to do something to not go crazy himself. I’m glad that Jack pushed him to go assist Lúcio and Hana. He needs to be away from what could trigger both the best and the worst in him._ Angela took a sip of her coffee and sighed. “To think he was willing to walk around without his guns...”

“You know he can manifest them at will,” a voice chuckled. Jack sat next to the doctor with his tray of food. He still felt uneasy walking around without his facemask hiding his appearance from his former comrades. “Hey,” he said as he greeted the others with a nod.

“How can one manifest a working gun?” the engineer perked up with curiosity. “I mean, unless he became a living factory of some sort...”

“His nature is complex,” Angela said vaguely. “He doesn’t even seem to fully understand it himself either.” _And despite what some of them think, I did nothing of the sort in that regard._

“That’s a shame,” Reinhardt murmured solemnly. “To not understand one’s strength and capability is disheartening for such a strong fighter.”

“Gabe would be pissed if he heard how ya’ll were underestimating him,” Jack chuckled. “Although it is good to have an old friend back.”

The distinctive clicking of heels drew their attention. Widowmaker stood awkwardly with a plate of pastries, watching the group before sighing and going to a corner table. Her blue countenance was slightly faded but still present. “But will that one be welcome?” Torbjörn sneered as he tore into his food. “Some of us rather miss her husband rather than the housewife turned killer.”

Jack felt his jaw tense in remembrance. _One time I didn’t listen to her. Whether it was genuinely being on her side as a warning or trying to aid Widowmaker in a mission for Talon, Sally knew Amelie was a danger..._ “I’ll speak to her afterwards. Winston did want us all to try to get along after all.”

“At least she has some color,” Angela noted as she sipped her coffee. “The medicine and therapy sessions will take time of course but her body must be handled gently.” _It could take years to reverse the disastrous effects Talon had on her body. And I cannot risk rushing it or I could create a greater disaster than what I did with Gabriel’s body. Although that man’s body showed some signs of modification beyond that of the Soldier Enhancement but that is a different issue entirely!_

Reinhardt’s eyes glanced at his friends with almost annoyance. “And you people think this is polite? Speaking of a lady as if she isn’t there, noticing your reaction?” He swept himself away from the table and approached the silently watching French woman. He gave a bow before presenting his arm. “May I eat with you, my lady?”

The sniper always was careful anytime someone approached her so suddenly, a habit of training, but she could not help the smile that crept upon her face. “I am yours,” she purred as she allowed the German to sit with her. “You look very well since the last time I saw you, Reinhardt,” she complimented him as she cut into the delicate pastry on her plate. “A life of battle suits you.”

He smiled widely, choosing to not remark how similar her words were to his old friend, Ana’s. “All things considered, I am glad you are alive. It is a shame given all that has happened...”

“Reinhardt,” Amelie said carefully. “I am sorry about my husband...” She paused slightly and noticed he was watching her carefully but as he stayed still, she continued. “I... What happened to him was a tragedy.”

“And you caused it,” a scoff sounded. Widowmaker whipped her head around to stare into the single eye of Ana. “Everyone dies, but he didn’t have to die in your arms. How could you do that to such a great man?”

“You know nothing about him,” she sneered. Her hand delicately clutching a cup. “How can you see truly into my motives when...”

“Ladies,” Reinhardt boomed over both of them. His voice caused both snipers to jump slightly. Accent thickening, he continued. “Zis is a time for rest. Amelie vill talk vhen she is ready.”

“That might have to be sooner than later,” a grunt sounded. Widowmaker stared blankly at Winston as he held a bowl of peanut butter. “I wasn’t in Russia so I can’t personally attest to her contributions, but she is a guest. However... Things are rather tricky.” He pushed up his glasses. “You have information that would be very useful to taking down Talon.”

“But you also have Sombra,” she hissed coldly. “Use her.”

“That is a problem,” Mercy began with a wince. “She’s going into withdrawal somehow. Or crazy. We can barely understand her. She has the coherent periods where we stick her in the workshop since it seems to help but otherwise...”

“Sombra has been murmuring near constantly about things that do not make sense,” the crisp, computer voice of Athena informed the group. “Something about a Sparrow... and a Lotus.”

“Sparrow rings a bell,” Winston hummed thoughtfully. “Lotus however means nothing to me.”

“Symbolism perhaps,” Ana suggested. “In any case, such speculation isn’t proper in this setting. The conference room perhaps.”

“And maybe not such a big audience,” the French woman purred. “As much as I enjoy the performance... it may not be to everyone’s taste,” she smirked as she noticed Tracer enter the area.

“Good idea,” Winston coughed slightly. “At least our two youngest members are out of the base. It would be almost impossible to hide something so important from those two.”

Elsewhere, Hana twitched slightly as she tried to drink her tea. The tremors were becoming more and more difficult to hide from her friend. “Hana, you okay?” Lúcio said in a rare bout of seriousness.

“I’m... fine,” she forced out as she sipped the mixture. The tea should have relaxed her but it tasted metallic and gritty now. “Just a bit more tired than I expected.”

“Weird,” the DJ said skeptically. “You were asleep for ages this morning and you’re still tired? You sure you’re okay?”

_I’m not okay. I want to die from this feeling. Like I’m watching someone steer my body through these motions. I’m a prisoner inside my own mind._

“Everything is fine,” she smiled warmly before nodding towards Symmetra. “Great tea,” she complimented the architech.

“Thank you,” she bowed graciously. “Until we wait for the reinforcements, I felt it best to lay low. Any idea who would be sent?”

Lúcio hummed slightly. “I don’t think the old soldier is coming along for the ride. Russia tuckered him out.”

“Poor Dad,” D. Va joked hollowly. “Worrying about his boy toy frolicking overseas.”

Lúcio frowned as he stared at his friend. “He’ll be fine.” _What’s up with her? She just seems so... Meh._ “Think he mentioned us getting help from Genji’s brother.”

The Korean quirked a smile. “I wonder if he’s as big of a flirt.”

“You look like you miss him,” Lúcio added carefully.

“He... is something else,” she smiled softly. Her fingers were tapping on her tea cup as she maintained careful eye contact with the DJ.

“Got you.” He cleared his throat. “I think I’ll nap.”

The gamer blinked in confusion before smiling winningly. “Sounds good. Rest up. When our reinforcements get here...”

“Yup,” he popped the sound dramatically before swaying over to his room. He bit his lip as he realized what she was telling him using her tea cup. _Shit Hana... I don't care about the Doomfist if you are at risk. You want me to leave you behind but I can’t. He sighed. She says any tech is unsafe... How can I let Jack or anyone in Overwatch know what is going on..._

He fell into a fitful sleep that felt too short when a sharp sound alerted him. Glancing at his phone, he sagged in relief when he saw it was the next day and a coded message. _Oh good. Old man Gabe would know what to do... or..._ Briefly he recalled the fury that Reaper had used back in Hollywood. _Or he would kill her. Shit. Well, if I don’t take that chance..._

He quickly exited the room and at first, was stopped by a familiar swish of blue cloth and black hair. “Lúcio?” the crisp tone questioned.

“One of our Overwatch allies is on his way. I need to brief and greet him,” he said quickly, shuffling slightly to mask his nerves, but attempting to play it off as listening to some music and wanting to dance.

“Ah. That is good. We will require all the help we can get.” Symmetra sashayed away, not picking up on Lúcio’s anxious behavior.

The DJ breathed a sigh of relief as he slung on the roller blades to his feet. A switch flip later and a gentle melody emitted from his equipment. “Hey D. Va! I’m going to go get the old man for the mission. His irate message woke me up!”

The Korean popped her head out of her room and Lúcio felt worry surge through him at her face. Her expression had gone from blank to falsely enthused so rapidly he definitely knew something was up. “Okay! Try not to piss off anymore Vishkar or smooch anyone. Wouldn’t want Dad to get jelly.”

He shook his head and winked at the gamer. He noticed her react to it a few seconds later than normal with her own wink and a tongue sticking out. “I think we’re cool now. Anyways, heading out!”

He practically glided out of Symmetra’s home, eager to get away from it. He shivered at the cold methodicalness of it all. Thankfully, it was not too long of a trip before he was at the rendezvous point where Reaper was waiting. Clad in a thin shirt, he scowled slightly at the youth. “It is so damn hot here,” he grunted. “And this humidity can go die. Hate it. At least no arrogant Vishkar snobs trying to analyze me.”

“And here I thought Overwatch was worldly,” the DJ chuckled as he shook the mercenary’s hand. “Good to see you.”

Gabriel nodded briskly and saw the youth visibly relax. “You look rattled. Compromised?” he questioned quickly with a low tone.

Lúcio gave a swift nod followed by a slight shrug. “Is there somewhere safe we can...”

“The drop ship already departed but I have a safe house nearby. It’s from the old days but I kept it maintained through the years,” Gabriel revealed. “Now hurry. The scent of all the spices in the air is annoying.”

Lúcio chuckled softly. The blunt, borderline rude behavior and tone was refreshing compared to the polite, fake enthusiasm he had been facing. _Then we got the restrained, diluted D. Va. What happened to you here?_ “It’s different from what I’m used to but in its own way, reminds me of home.”

“Whatever is rattling you, keep that calamity that you just acquired. A nervous agent isn’t reliable in the field and a danger to us all.”

The younger man hesitated slightly before nodding slowly. “Got it,” he said as he fiddled with his equipment again. A barely audible guitar rift played and he sighed with relief. “Sally’s okay, right? Sorry if I didn’t ask any earlier but...”

The mercenary shrugged. “Considering how well you two get along, the fact you didn’t immediately inquire tipped off that something was wrong. She has woken up. Recovery however is all up to her. Angela and Jack can restrain her if something happens.”

“I don’t know... Jack mentioned that up in Russia, she was quite dangerous.”

“It’ll be fine,” Gabriel gruffly cut off, a vein sticking out on his neck with annoyance. “She’s not stupid and will take precaution. She may be a terrible patient but she won’t needlessly endanger herself. Plus if I don’t trust in her ability, how can she trust in herself? It’s complicated as fuck but anyways...” He motioned for Lúcio to head towards an abandoned looking warehouse with a rather complicated biometrics array around a reinforced door. “One moment.”

Lúcio gasped slightly watching the older man place his palm against the biometric and stare into a beam that opened up at exactly his eye level. After a moment, a sharp beep allowed the surprisingly strong door to open up. “Damn. Surprised this kind of shit hasn’t been spotted by the Vishkar around here.”

“Vishkar don’t wonder in this segment of the city,” Reyes hummed informatively. “They care a great deal about aesthetics and appearances. You wouldn’t catch Symmetra here either. Dark, dingy warehouses aren’t their kind of thing, as shady as they are. Besides, they have nothing to gain by being here or so they think.”

Lúcio sneezed slightly at the dust but was impressed overall. He saw crates of weapons and medicine stashed around with a skull logo similar to the Reaper mask. The dim lights illustrated the point that there were no windows at all in the facility. He heard the hum of machines and could smell many things like antiseptic and gunpowder but none of the spices of the market. He moved over to a few weapons and gave a low whistle. “This looks like some covert ops stuff. I don’t really have experience with that in Brazil but...”

“I find that hard to believe,” Gabriel smirked as he led the younger man to a renovated break room in the back of the warehouse. “Breaking in was impressive enough but to emerge with Vishkar technology and modify it to your own purposes is pretty crafty. If Overwatch was going on at the time still, I would have slated you for recruitment into Blackwatch. If anything, we could have taken note how you spun the whole scenario into great publicity for yourself. Something I admit my organization was not great at. Especially after Venice.”

The DJ was unsure if that was a compliment or not, yet alone a good thing. “Thanks, I guess?”

Chuckles erupted from Reyes before he could restrain it. “It’s nice having to deal with a kid not as dense as McCree could be. Sharp brat but other than with his gun, never was always completely dead-on.” He motioned to a nearby chair and sat on his desk. He made a swiping motion at his monitor, changing it to surveillance cameras around the warehouse. “Anyways, what’s the news? You seem really startled.”

“Something’s up with Hana,” Lúcio confided. “She’s hesitating a lot and her expression will be blank then school itself into what it’s supposed to be. Look, it’s not just a youth thing,” he began as he saw the former commander attempt to speak up.

“Wasn’t saying that kid. But go on,” the mercenary motioned as he observed him. _Bright mind indeed. Vishkar got lucky he focused on his celebrity status to better the world before he took them down even further._

“As a professional gamer, she is expected to have the sharpest reflexes and one hell of a poker face. Her expressiveness feels stunted and forced. That part of her being slightly off rings warning bells to me,” the Brazilian sighed. “And there’s the fact she’s technically a soldier. Hesitation like that could get her killed.”

“Out of character certainly, especially considering that within the Korean Army, she is considered one of their top all-rounders. She could lead a team or perform solo. What you’ve told me doesn’t fit the profile of someone able to do that very well.” The mercenary hummed thoughtfully. “I’ll send an encrypted message to Jack secure enough that even Sombra will huff a few times before being able to crack it.”

“But doesn’t Talon have other hackers?” the youth questioned skeptically. “I mean, not questioning your skills at all but...”

“I’m a former Blackwatch commander,” Gabriel reminded Lúcio with an almost dangerous smirk. “Plus I’m not shitty at hacking. Just that Sombra is really that damn good. Still, I do have years of experience on her and have discovered some of the secrets that she thinks are secure.”

“Oh yeah,” Lúcio chuckled. “Yeah, go send Jack the message and he’ll pass it on to Winston.”

“Feels weird that the monkey leads the team now,” Gabriel shrugged slightly, causing the DJ to laugh. “But I suppose I have to be... _polite_ to him now.” _Still wouldn’t mind him having a chat with the shotguns though._ “Anyways, do you think you need anything here before we go. Name something able to take down a small country and it’s probably inside this warehouse.”

The DJ wanted desperately to ask if he was joking but then swallowed as the two of them passed a few small looking missiles. To the side, glowing chemicals in tubes gave him the shivers as the golden and purple liquids bubbled. “...Maybe something akin to an EMP? Like... my gear might get fried but I have a bad feeling...”

“If you’re willing to risk it, that just illustrates how bad this shit is.” He went over to a crate and opened it up. “Anyways, I’ll show you how to use it and hopefully you won’t need to... Pay attention. Last time McCree didn’t he set it off near Torbjörn...”

The Swedish engineer sneezed and scowled. He was watching his cameras carefully, making sure everything was alright. His main attention never strayed too far from Sombra however, despite the modifications he was making to his turrets. “Good ‘ole firepower can outdo technology in a pinch, girl. And you best remember that.”

She rolled her eyes and looked around again. For the sake of her mental health, Angela had restrained her but all the same, it still felt like punishment due to being tied down to a chair. She understood and liked the disorganized chaos that was the short man’s workspace but at the same time, it drove her insane. Everything felt basic and primitive compared to the technology she was used to. “Some of us like to operate in a current century,” she reminded the man with a smirk. “Or if you let me help out...”

“Not a chance,” the man practically waved the hammer he was using in her face. “Angela said I had to have you here to help your mental state but didn’t say anything about you touching nothing or leaving that chair.”

The Latina groaned in boredom as the man continued hammering away at his turret. The clanking sound was not helping the pounding pain in her head ever since her augments were fried and removed. “Can you at least turn on the news, old man, or are you too archaic for that as well?”

Not even justifying it with a response, he pushed a button and a nearby tv screen flashed to a scene in Numbani being shown. A crisp, professional female voice began to speak as the scene flashed to an Egyptian looking woman with a symbol near her eye. “As stated previously, Helix Security International is still in the middle of the investigation to see who broke out Akande Ogundimu, codenamed Doomfist. No further details are being released to the public at this time.”

“Oh little Fareeha Amari grew up,” Torbjörn said proudly with a smile. “I vonder if Ana ever reached back out to her...”

“Hey, you lot know how Doomfist got out right?” Sombra spoke crisply with a smile. “I can hack the footage to show you.”

“Or you could tell me since you obviously know,” the engineering scowled with irritation. “He’s back in Talon, I assume?”

“Of course. And he will be most upset at not just losing Gabe but two other agents. On top of that, Gabe wasn’t an agent like us. Doomfist had bigger things in mind for him. Then the fact that Salvation is a Talon asset...”

It was with a heavy sigh that Torbjörn looked her in the eyes with his own. “Set us on a wild goose chase, girl, and I’ll use you for target practice.”

“Would this face lie to you?” she winked.

The engineering did not look impressed as he pushed another button. “Hey Winston, I’m sending over a recording of what Sombra just said. Look into it, would you?”

The gorilla looked confused slightly and accepted the recording. He briefly listened to it then sighed. “I’ll get on it. And I’ll have Ana reach out to her daughter.” The scientist disconnected the video feed just as Sombra lit up brilliantly.

“So, am I getting some blanket forgiveness or whatever you lot are giving Gabe? Because he’s done some really bad shit but you all seem to be...”

“He’s a traitor,” Torbjörn said harshly as he got in her face, despite being shorter than her. “But I don’t call the shots here. But it was for the best Overwatch ended when it did. I have a family now. A family I am providing for.”

“Does your family know you’re basically a terrorist now?” Sombra smirked.

“She understands. They all do,” he said quietly. “I don’t know what your motivations for your cyberpunk behavior are but some of us have a higher purpose. I still... I caused so much destruction before with my creations that I need to do a little good. I can’t fully redeem myself by throwing my body at the rogue Omnics like how Reinhardt does but there always is a way.”

“Speaking of that German knight, the girl following him around as his squire or whatever you medieval types call it looks a lot like a former Talon agent,” Sombra said with a hum. “Might want to look into that too, old man.”

“Brigitte is his goddaughter and my daughter. She never would join Talon. She’s not even old enough to...”

“If humanity could create Omnics, what’s to say that they couldn’t create other humans?” she said rhetorically with a tone similar to one they would use with a child. “You think far too simply. So boring.”

_Shit. Shit. Shit!_ “Angela!” he ran out of his workspace, yelling the whole way.

“If only he untied me,” Sombra sighed as she watched the television news switch to an explosion rocking Dorado. “Huh. Los Muertos were smarter than to deal with explosives with that many innocents around...” She sighed as she wished she had some popcorn as she was watching the news. “Gabe is sure in deep shit once they realize he’s the one who busted the boss out. He isn’t some guardian angel but they forget that the minute he’s dating someone...” _Maybe I could do the same. If Gabriel-fucking-Reyes can get off easy, no reason why Olivia Colomar wouldn’t be able to either! But who..._ The skin where her augments were previously itched painfully but instead of irritating the hacker, it made her smirk victoriously. _Plan has been made. And now... time to lure myself a Swiss miss._


End file.
